The process of choosing a slate supplier depends on the type of products and quantities you need. Some suppliers focus much more on the roofing slate or on the billiard tables, other have a strong emphasis on the calibrated materials like paving and tiles. Moinho has a strong focus on the high quality calibrated slabs in large sizes and as well a big production line in a constant high volume flow of calibrated paving and tiles. Prioritizing our customers’ experiences, Moinho tries to provide excellency in service for our buyers worldwide, in production, pricing, packing, quality controls, customization of products, and shipping logistics. Our quarries are operated by our own teams and we can choose our best blocks to process these in our industry for your specific product in slate.

Brazilian slate is evaluated as one of the best quality slates in the world, and its overall market share worldwide is the second-biggest today. What makes it one of the best types of slate is its geological attributes, composition, and durability.

Moinho is specialized in the export of natural Brazilian slates to the world and is one of the most highly recommended slate suppliers, achieved by decades of innovation, improvements and a dedicated staff to always serve our clients the best way possible.

This is due to our sustainability and work ethics applied in the entire process. From the extraction of the stones to the shipping of the slate slabs.

Check out some important aspects you should consider when choosing a slate supplier!

Follow the topics:

• Precambrian stones
• Stone extraction
• Slate production
• Packing and Shipping
• Staff members and working ethics

Precambrian Stones

Moinho operates with four types of slates from the interior of Brazil. Our slates are made with the extraction of Precambrian era stones, formed between 750 and 1000 million years ago, which makes them one of the oldest stones on earth.

This type of stone is well-known for its extremely low concentrations of calcium and carbonated components, giving the product a long-lasting lifespan and resistance to UV solar rays and acids.

Thanks to this geology, Moinho slates are aesthetically pleasing and require low maintenance since they are durable, color-holding, and safe for both indoors and outdoors.

This is an important factor when it comes to choosing a slate supplier, especially because not knowing the quality of the stones you are buying can affect your project on many levels.

Other essential aspects of this process is the stone extraction, its production, the packing and shipping models and the work ethics that the company stands for.

Keep reading and learn more about each one of these factors!

Stone Extraction

Moinho’s slate extraction area is located in a plain, vast grassland called Cerrado, about a thousand kilometers south of the Amazon forest and known for grassland, farmland, and mixed forms of vegetation.

Moinho itself has total control over the entire process of extraction, material processing, and transportation.

We manage our quarries in Brazil (where the product is extracted and processed), being checked on regularly according to the strict requirements of the Brazilian government agencies, such as DNPM (raw material extraction) and IBAMA (nature and environment).

When the quarry is closed in the spacious grassland area, we return the excavated earth layers back to fill the quarry, regenerating completely natural covered areas that will be created again by nature within a few months. After we closed a certain bank of our quarries, nature will return on the fertile soil in a matter of weeks and after less than a year it is almost impossible to detect on a particular spot we even had an extraction area of slate.

Slate Production

As previously mentioned, Moinho is an eco-conscious company that worries about the environmental impacts of slate industries.

Considering these impacts, our team is constantly studying ways to better our slate production, packing, and shipping processes.

Moinho’s slate production process revolves around renewable power for electricity and the natural preservation of the stone. We do not make use of heat or chemicals, and all water is treated and reused naturally. All rest-products are collected and used for roads or construction work in the region. Even the sawing dust is re-used as fertilizer in the surrounding farmlands.

Solar & Hydro Power

Inside the factories, we use electricity for the machines that calibrate, grind, and saw. More than 80% of this power is now generated by hydropower plants (hydropower). And by installing solar panels (solar power), we supplement the rest of the energy requirement to more than 90% renewable energy sources.

Moinho studies the possibility of being able to produce 100% full green electricity within a few years.

Heat & Chemical Usage

Our stone is cut by diamond blades in the quarry, and manually split, sawn, and calibrated.

We opt to preserve its naturality. Therefore, no heat or chemicals are applied to the surface, as it remains from 1 billion years ago and is ready for application on roofs or flooring. Everything is sawn and packed as it comes naturally.

Water Treatment

Recycled water from decanter basins is used to cool down the diamond blades used for slate cutting and transporting the sawn stone dust. This stone powder is re-used locally for agriculture or road construction.

Our region is known for heavy rain-falls and water deposits filled with rainwater regularly filled for use inside quarry and production. The water remains in good condition as it lacks any chemical substance types. The forests around us absorb any excess water.

Packing & Shipping

For our packaging, we look for the most sustainable and circular solutions. All wood used for strong crates is from renewable forestry in Ellioti Pine, durable and fast-growing.

This species grows from plant to tall thin tree within 07 years. We use recycled plastic and biodegradable variants (when available) for the cover, but our goal is to refrain from using any kind of plastic in our slate packaging.

Our slate is transported by sea container ship from Brazil to many ports worldwide, such as New York, London and Rotterdam. Each vessel on which we embark a batch of containers is loaded as well together with thousands of containers of other products and shipped together to port of destination, making each and every container transportation across the ocean having even a lower impact as a short trip with a truck on land.

Since the very beginning, Moinho has been a member of the shipping group with Low-Sulphur vessel fuel. Sulphur in fuel is harmful to the environment. And the new Low-Sulphur fuel (nowadays mandatory following IMO) is a big step towards making transport by the sea the most efficient and cleanest means of transportation.

There are initiatives to make this marine fuel more eco-friendly and sustainable (for example GoodFuel using bio-fuel). As soon as these initiatives start in Brazil, Moinho will be participating in this next step towards sustainability in sea transport.

Staff Members & Working Ethics

All of our employees are over 21 years old (some of them being with us for several decades), and all heavy tasks are mechanized, such as pneumatic chisels at the front of the shovels that transport the blocks. We strive for a most automated, mechanized, slate extraction and cutting process, letting our machine sdo the hard work, and our employees making the checks of each surface and cut to preserve our quality.

Education, health care, pension accrual, and a safe working environment are of a high standard and are constantly being improved where possible. Together with our partners in the European Union, we are working on standards for sustainable natural stone extraction, such as with the German Xertifix members.

Choosing the right slate supplier has never been  simple, but at least you know more now about our dedication and process. We would be happy if you let Moinho be a part of your project. Contact us now by clicking here!