Most people who admire a finished stone sculpture give no thought to where the stone came from. That is understandable. The finished work is the point. But for those of us who carve, the journey from quarry to studio is a fundamental part of the process. The stone you choose and how it reaches you shapes everything that follows.

I have visited quarries in Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and China. Each operates differently, but the basic challenge is the same: extracting large blocks without damaging them, then moving those blocks safely to wherever they need to go.

At the Quarry Face

Modern quarrying uses a combination of diamond wire saws, chain cutters, and controlled splitting to extract blocks. The diamond wire saw is the primary tool at most dimension stone quarries. A continuous loop of steel cable studded with diamond beads runs through the stone, cutting a narrow kerf with water cooling. It is surprisingly quiet compared to the blasting operations that preceded it.

The quarry master reads the stone face the way a carver reads a block. Bedding planes, joints, colour variations, and structural weaknesses all determine where cuts are made. A good quarry master minimises waste and maximises the yield of sound, usable blocks.

Australian quarries tend to operate at smaller scales than the famous Carrara operations. The Harcourt granite quarries in central Victoria, the sandstone quarries around Sydney’s Hawkesbury region, and the basalt quarries of western Victoria all produce carving-quality stone, though not all of it is marketed for that purpose.

Selecting Your Stone

If you have the opportunity to visit a quarry and select your own block, take it. You will learn things about the stone that no catalogue or sample can tell you.

Look at the quarry face to understand the geological context. Where in the formation does your block come from? Inspect blocks for cracks, veins, and inclusions. Tap with a hammer and listen. Run water across surfaces to reveal the structure. Ask the quarry operator about the stone’s properties. They know their material intimately.

If you cannot visit the quarry, work with a stone supplier you trust. A good supplier understands the difference between stone for building and stone for carving. Carving stone needs to be free of hidden fractures and have consistent workability throughout the block.

Transport and Handling

Moving stone is where costs accumulate. A cubic metre of marble weighs approximately 2.7 tonnes. Granite is similar. Even limestone, at around 2.3 tonnes per cubic metre, gets heavy fast.

From quarry to supplier, stone typically travels by truck on flatbed trailers. Blocks are secured with chains and strapping. For international shipments, stone moves in shipping containers, with blocks braced and padded to prevent shifting at sea. Damage during transit is a real risk and a real cost.

Getting stone from a supplier to your studio is often the trickiest part. Most sculptors’ studios lack cranes and forklifts. If you are ordering a block over half a tonne, plan how it will be unloaded before it arrives.

I have an arrangement with a local transport company that has a crane truck. They place blocks directly onto my working platform. For smaller pieces, a sturdy engine hoist, heavy-duty trolleys, and furniture dollies work well. Always over-rate your equipment. If a block weighs 200 kilograms, use a hoist rated for at least 400.

The Digital Side of Sourcing

Technology is changing how sculptors find and select stone. Some quarries now offer virtual tours and detailed photographic catalogues of available blocks. Geological databases, combined with tools from firms like team400.ai, help map material properties and availability across regions, making it easier to identify suitable stone without extensive travel.

Several suppliers have moved to online ordering with detailed specifications, photographs, and even short video walkthroughs of individual blocks. This is particularly useful for sourcing international stone where a quarry visit is impractical.

Costs and Budgeting

Stone prices vary enormously. Oamaru limestone might cost a few hundred dollars per cubic metre. Quality Carrara statuary marble can run to several thousand. Transport often equals or exceeds the cost of the stone itself, especially for small orders over long distances.

Factor in waste. Even experienced carvers remove a significant percentage of the original block. For a figurative work, you might use only thirty to forty per cent of the stone you purchased. The economics of stone carving are never as simple as the purchase price of the block.

Building Relationships

The best advice I can offer on sourcing stone is to build relationships. Visit quarries when you can. Talk to stone merchants. Get to know the drivers who deliver your blocks. These are the people who can alert you when an unusual block comes in, hold a piece for you when stock is tight, or give you honest advice about whether a particular stone is worth the money.

Stone carving is a material practice, and the material has to come from somewhere. Understanding that journey from bedrock to studio floor makes you more connected to the work and more informed in your choices.