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Investigations into provenance and properties of ancient building sandstones of the Zittau/Görlitz region (Upper Lusatia, Eastern Saxony, Germany)

2002; Geological Society of London; Volume: 205; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1144/gsl.sp.2002.205.01.21

2041-4927

Steffen Michalski, Jens Götze, Heiner Siedel, Michael Magnus, Robert B. Heimann,

Geology and Paleoclimatology Research

Abstract Mineralogical and technical properties were investigated of building sandstones from ancient monuments of the Zittau/Görlitz region (Germany) as well as material from potential source quarries. The complex study included macroscopic rock description and detailed investigations by polarizing microscopy (phase composition, texture, grain size distribution), cathodoluminescence (quartz types, feldspar and kaolinite content), scanning electron microscopy (accessories, pore cement, diagenetic grain surface features) as well as the analysis of open macroporosity (total water uptake) and the pore size distribution function (Hg porosimetry). For the first time, mineralogical and technical data were obtained for building sandstones of the Zittau region. The results not only confirmed earlier conjectures concerning different source areas for the ancient building sandstones of the Zittau and Görlitz area but also allowed the unequivocal assignment of historically used material to specific sandstone occurrences. The data obtained provide a comprehensive basis for the interpretation of weathering damage suffered by the historical monuments and give useful hints for their successful conservation and reconstruction.