Aracruz Black

Geologically, Aracruz Black is a gabbro from the Aracruz region in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo. Gabbros are plutonic igneous rocks with a high proportion of dark mafic minerals (pyroxene, olivine, plagioclase) — they solidified slowly deep within the earth under high pressure. The plagioclase component makes the stone particularly receptive to polishing and provides the fine silvery accents of lustre. The water absorption of only 0.07 % is exceptionally low — one of the densest values among the black hard rocks traded worldwide — and makes Aracruz Black particularly suitable for external applications and areas with water contact. In international trade, gabbro is traditionally carried within the granite family; Aracruz Black runs under several synonyms: Aracruz Black, Aracruz Black Granite, Nero Aracruz Granite (Italian), Preto Aracruz / Aracruz Preto Granite (Portuguese), Black Aracruz Granite (English), Negro Aracruz Granite (Spanish), Granito Negro Aracruz and Nero San Marco Granite. At ROSSITTIS we classify Aracruz Black, as is customary in the trade, as a granite. Espírito Santo is one of the world's most productive regions for Brazilian gabbros — related materials such as Mystic Grey and other classic black granite trade stones come from this region.

Technically, Aracruz Black shows the robustness characteristic of Brazilian gabbros. The water absorption of 0.07 % is exceptionally low — one of the densest values among all commercially traded natural stones. Typical bulk densities of Brazilian gabbros lie at 2,900-3,000 kg/m³, compressive strength at 200-260 MPa, flexural strength at 12-20 MPa. Mohs hardness is 6. The stone is therefore acid-resistant (unlike marble or limestone), cut- and scratch-resistant, frost-resistant and well suited to heavily used applications. Wine, lemon juice, vinegar or acidic bathroom cleaners leave no etch marks. The fine-crystalline compact structure and the high plagioclase component also make the stone very receptive to polishing — on a polished surface the black ground tone develops an almost mirror-like depth.

At ROSSITTIS we carry Aracruz Black as an unsized slab for kitchen and bathroom worktops, bar counters, wall cladding, fireplace surrounds and prestige statement surfaces, in tiles for floor and wall applications, as tread and riser for stairs, and as window sill, skirting, fountain element, memorial stone and for project-specific cutting. The stone is also ideally suited to external façades, pool coping and external terraces — the exceptionally low water absorption makes it a premium choice for pool and water-contact applications. The surface finishes currently held in stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down.

Compared with classic black granite classics such as Nero Assoluto Zimbabwe (evenly deep black with a finer mineral distribution, a premium classic) or Star Galaxy (black with golden mica points), Aracruz Black brings a similarly consistent deep black ground tone with silvery accents — a widely accessible alternative to Nero Assoluto. Compared with Black Pearl (an Indian syenite from Gurajapally with a pearl-like shimmer), Aracruz Black is more even and quieter in slab pattern, without the characteristic pearl effect. For classically elegant black architecture — modern kitchens, bathroom areas, hotel lobbies, restaurants, memorials, pool areas and external façades — Aracruz Black is a very widespread and readily available choice among the classic black Brazilian granites.