Rock mass block quality designation for marble production

•Block Quality Designation ratio has been proposed for dimension stone production.•BQD ratio can be used for criteria making decision to undertake dimension stone quarrying.•It is determined by using 1-dimensional discontinuity spacing measurements.

Discontinuity spacing measurements are generally carried out along scan lines and/or along the rock mass exposures, quarry benches and/or bore cores for assessing the rock mass quality. Rock mass block quality designation ratio (BQD) has been defined for assessment of the block production capacity of rock mass as BQD% = ΣS≥1m/L Where, ΣS≥1m cumulative of the discontinuity spacing equal and/or greater 1.0 m. L, Scan line length (m). Assessment of the discontinuity spacing measurements made along 2198 m long the scan lines in 6 working and five abandoned limestone quarries in Karaburun area in Western Turkey, have shown that while the working quarries had BQD ratios > 50% and the abandoned quarries had BQD ratios < 50%. Thus, based on our findings the BQD ratio has been proposed to be used for rock mass assessment for the block production in limestone and/or similar quarries