Assessing the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of a natural stone from Kefallonia island, western Greece.

This study evaluates the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of a natural stone sourced from a limestone quarry on Kefalonia Island, Western Greece, locally used as a building material and ornament stone. The limestone formation of Upper Miocene age closely resembles the so-called "Maltastone”, a well-known natural stone from the island of Malta. The research employed XRD, SEM-EDS AND ICPMS techniques to analyze samples collected from various stratigraphic layers. The findings indicate that calcite is the primary mineral of the limestones, while apatite and quartz appear occasionally as accessory phases. In contrast, apatite is the predominant mineral in paleofauna samples, (fossilised mammal bones from the limestone layers), with a notable absence of calcite and quartz. Overall, the results demonstrate that the limestone possesses favourable mineralogical and geochemical properties, making it suitable for construction and ornamental applications.