Porto Branco Chiaro (also traded as “Via Lattea” — Italian for “Milky Way”) is a Brazilian gneiss with a deep black base tone and powerfully distributed creamy-white mineral clusters spread like a galaxy of stars across the dark groundmass. A highly load-bearing hard stone with full acid, heat and frost resistance for kitchen worktops, stairs and statement interior surfaces.
Brazilian gneiss (a medium- to high-grade metamorphic foliated rock, often listed as “granite” in international trade) from the Precambrian shield areas of Brazil — part of the Brazilian craton. On the market under several synonyms: Porto Branco Chiaro, Via Lattea (Italian for “Milky Way”). Mineralogically dominated by a dark mafic groundmass with powerfully distributed light feldspar-quartz clusters. High bulk density (typically over 3,000 kg/m³), Mohs hardness approx. 6, fully acid-, heat- and frost-resistant.
Gneiss
Brazil
Frostbeständig
Säurebeständig
3.020 kg/m³
Available as: Slabs, Skirting, Tiles and flooring slabs
Other trade names: Milky Way, Porto Branco, RO-01-455, Via Lactea, Via Lattea
About Porto Branco Chiaro
Porto Branco Chiaro is a Brazilian gneiss from the Precambrian shield areas of Brazil — part of the Brazilian craton. In the international stone trade the material also runs under the synonym “Via Lattea” (Italian for “Milky Way”) — the brand name describes the characteristic slab image precisely: the light mineral clusters appear like a galaxy of stars above the dark groundmass.
Geologically it is a gneiss (a medium- to high-grade metamorphic foliated rock) with a clearly recognisable metamorphic structure. In international trade Porto Branco Chiaro/Via Lattea is frequently listed indiscriminately as “granite” — commercially widespread, but petrographically more precisely a gneiss. The light mineral clusters are crystallised feldspar-quartz components that were segregated out of the original sedimentary or magmatic precursor phase by metamorphic pressure and temperature conditions.
In the slab image Porto Branco Chiaro shows a deep black base tone, interspersed with powerfully distributed creamy-white and light grey-cream mineral clusters in varying sizes and zones of concentration. The clusters appear organically distributed — sometimes they condense into powerful light zones, then they thin out and the black groundmass dominates. An exceptionally characterful composition with an almost galactic effect.
For the application that means: Porto Branco Chiaro is an excellent choice for statement islands, kitchen worktops, vanity tops, wall claddings, stairs and prestigious interior surfaces with a dramatic, luxurious ambition. Combined with warm timber, brass, bronze and muted earth tones, the material develops an atmospheric, luxurious effect.
Technically, Porto Branco Chiaro is a classic high-performance dimension stone. With a high bulk density (typically over 3,000 kg/m³ because of the high mafic proportion in the dark groundmass), good compressive strength, low water absorption and complete acid resistance, heat resistance and frost resistance, the material offers full hard stone performance. Steel knives leave no scratches, wine and lemon no etch marks, hot pans can be set down directly.
At ROSSITTIS we currently stock Porto Branco Chiaro as 15 raw slabs. On request we produce from them all common dimension stone applications: kitchen worktops, islands, vanity tops, wall claddings, floor and wall tiles, stairs, window sills, skirtings, façade elements and project-specific special cuts. For bookmatch stagings we are glad to reserve material directly from the same block on request.
For anyone comparing Porto Branco Chiaro with other materials: stylistically close are other Brazilian black gneisses and migmatites with light mineral clusters such as Star Galaxy (Indian gabbro with golden flecks — a cooler, monochrome character), Cosmic Black (Brazilian migmatite with fluid veining), Black Galaxy. Among the calm, monochrome black stones, Nero Assoluto, Terra Black or Lapponia Black are similar in character — but these are considerably more uniform, without the galactic distribution of clusters.
Our honest assessment: Porto Branco Chiaro is an exceptional choice for projects with an ambition for a dramatic black high-performance dimension stone with a strongly characterful, galactic composition. Anyone who needs a calm, monochrome black look should reach for classic black gabbros. But anyone who appreciates the expressive, galactic Brazilian gneiss character with its “Via Lattea” mineral clusters will find a very distinctive stone here.
In stock
Current availability from our warehouse.
15 slabs in stock · plus 14 blocks
Thicknesses: 1–2 cm · Finishes: Polished, Satin-honed · Available as: Slabs, Skirting, Tiles and flooring slabs
Guide values for the stone type, taken from manufacturer and test reports. Natural stone is a natural product — individual batches and slabs can differ. For critical applications, request slab-specific test data.
Rohdichte
3.020 kg/m³
Biegezugfestigkeit
15,7 MPa
Frostbeständig
Ja
Säurebeständig
Ja
Finishes
Porto Branco Chiaro is available in a range of finishes. The finish affects appearance, feel and the care it needs.
Polished
Polishing is the most classic finish in the hard stone segment — a mirror-smooth, high-gloss surface with the highest possible colour intensity and maximum depth effect in the mineral structure. As an acid-resistant silicate stone, polished granite is easy to care for and the first choice for kitchen worktops, wall claddings and prestigious exposed surfaces.
Satin-honed
The satin surface is created by brushing, which selectively removes softer minerals and gives the surface a slight depth. A matte appearance with subtle light reflection and a warm feel to the touch. Easy to maintain, insensitive to scratches and suited to everyday use — a popular alternative to a polish in modern kitchens and living spaces.
Care & fabrication
Porto Branco Chiaro is a dense Brazilian gneiss with high compressive strength, low water absorption and complete acid, heat and frost resistance.
Daily cleaning: soft microfibre cloth, warm water and a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner. Polish dry — otherwise limescale films are visible on the dark tonality.
Do not use: concentrated acids, steel wool, coarse scouring sponges.
Impregnation: on polished surfaces, recommended every 18–36 months depending on loading. Less visible on the dark groundmass than on the light clusters — the latter can show saturation marks when left unimpregnated.
Kitchen worktop: hot pans can be set down directly, steel knives leave no scratches, wine and lemon no etch marks — fully suited to everyday use.
Stain treatment: wipe away fresh splashes (wine, coffee, tomato sauce, oil) immediately. On the dark tonality, light stains (salt, limescale, white powders) are particularly visible.
Repair: scratches in the polish can be evened out by professional re-polishing.
Frequently asked questions
What does “Via Lattea” mean?
“Via Lattea” is Italian for “Milky Way” — the brand name describes the characteristic distribution of the light mineral clusters across the black groundmass, which has the effect of an image of a star galaxy. In international trade the material is listed under both names: Porto Branco Chiaro and Via Lattea.
Is Porto Branco Chiaro really a granite?
Petrographically more precisely a gneiss (a metamorphic foliated rock), in international trade often listed indiscriminately as “granite”. For the application, what counts is the full hard stone robustness.
Where does Porto Branco Chiaro originate?
From Brazilian gneiss deposits — part of the Precambrian Brazilian craton.
Is Porto Branco Chiaro suitable for the kitchen?
Yes, excellently. With a Mohs hardness of 6 and complete acid and heat resistance, a very robust choice for kitchen worktops.
Is Porto Branco Chiaro suitable for bookmatch?
Yes — with mirrored slab pairs the powerfully distributed mineral clusters deliver dramatic axially symmetrical images. On request we reserve slabs directly from the same block.
Porto Branco Chiaro or Star Galaxy?
Both are dark hard stones with light mineral accents. Star Galaxy (Indian gabbro) shows the finest golden flecks distributed evenly. Porto Branco Chiaro/Via Lattea shows considerably stronger creamy-white mineral clusters with a dramatic galactic composition. Which choice suits depends on the intensity of accent desired.
Which finishes are available?
The surface finishes available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block on this page.
How much material do you currently have in stock?
We currently stock 15 raw slabs of Porto Branco Chiaro.
What does Porto Branco Chiaro cost?
The price depends on the batch, thickness, surface finish and fabrication — with natural stone there is no serious flat rate per square metre. Business customers see prices once their B2B account is activated; private customers receive a complete quote through a fabricator near them.
