The Altsi Limestone quarry
Chalk in the mountains east of Stomio
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Minerals |
| Gypsum | |
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three largest occurrences of gypsum are situated at Altsi (Sitia), Stomio
(the west coast) and Sougia (the south coast). Both at Stomio and at Altsi
a big production of gypsum takes place. At Altsi alone 500 000 metric tons
are extracted per year.
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| Because of the poor facilities of the harbour at Sougia the gypsum is not extracted here. | |
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The Altsi Limestone quarry |
Chalk in the mountains east of Stomio |
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Marble |
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| Another
mineral is marble. It is quarried mainly at Doxaro, Achlades and Moundros
in the county of
Rethymno.
In this county you also find occurrences of the
limestone alfopetra
or porolithos, which
is a popular stone for decoration.
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| A special type of marble, the so-called Cretan onyx, is found at Rethymno, at the Spatha peninsula, at the Rodopos peninsula near Chania, at Iraklion and at Lassithi. | |
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| Lignite (brown coal) | |
| You find occurrences of brown coal at Kandanos in West Crete, at Vrises (east of Chania), at Plakias in South Crete and at Akrotiri Panagia near Iraklio, but for financial reasons an industrial extraction is not worth the effort. | |
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| Metals | |
| No metals worth mentioning are found in the subsurface of Crete. | |