Type and colors of porphyry: a known and appreciated stone

The stone of a thousand virtues

Thanks to its incredible characteristics, such as resistance to mechanical stress, extreme heat and frost, porphyry is one of the most used rocks since ancient times; both in Ancient Egypt and during the Roman Empire, porphyry was purchased exclusively by the nobility due to the high cost. The prohibitive price was mainly due to the difficulty of extraction, transport and above all processing of this extremely hard stone. However, the investment was immediately repaid by the great prestige that ensured pavements, obelisks and porphyry statues, often surviving to the present day.

Thanks to the particular hardness and intrinsic geological characteristics, porphyry can in fact last over time without undergoing alterations, especially those caused by erosion by atmospheric agents and mechanical stress.

Not only that: when crushed, porphyry can become a completely natural and ecological foundation for flooring, roads and agricultural reclamation.

The colors of porphyry

The colors of the porphyry, commonly red, purple, gray, brown and rust, can change according to the extraction aquifer. Other notable characteristics of this magmatic rock are the peculiar translucent inclusions, that is white, pale pink or black crystals; green crystals are rarer.

The red porphyry

In ancient times the porphyry dominated by the red color, especially when predominant and uniform, became a symbol of the power of the great empires, from those of the pharaohs to those of the pagan European emperors, later also of the Christian kings.

Over the centuries, red porphyry has never lost its charm: even these shades are among the most popular for creating fine finishes. Even today, porphyry with reddish or purple hues is purchased by the Italian and international public of C.A.P.A. Porphyry for the construction of floors, walls and borders of great value.

Gray porphyry

Gray porphyry, on the other hand, is a rock characterized by light shades, with predominantly gray colors. C.A.P.A. offers its customers all the colors of Trentino porphyry, characterized by a purplish-reddish base with lighter inserts.

Gray porphyry is one of the most resistant types of porphyry, which is why it can be used for the creation of all types of products with different sizes, thicknesses and finishes. The finish with flamed top, in particular, is very fine and elegant and can also be used for internal use by brushing the surface which makes the stone smooth to the touch but natural to the eye.
Today gray porphyry is in demand above all by those who want a flooring that matches modern buildings.

The Porphyry of Trentino

The predominant colors of Trentino Porphyry are mainly red, purple and gray.

C.A.P.A. Porfido has porphyry deposits from Trentino thanks to which it is able to supply the whole range of nuanced colors peculiar to this precious natural rock.

The rock that we extract in our quarries of Monte Gaggio, near Albiano, is in fact characterized by a matrix between red, purple and gray with light-colored crystals, or on the contrary black, visible to the naked eye.

Thanks to the first selection of the slabs, which takes place directly in the quarry, our customers can also choose supplies with uniform colors dominated by red-violet or gray.

Discover all our products and contact the sales office: we will be able to find the perfect solution for your every need!