The region

The Semi Rijo limestone is extracted in the area around the town of Arrimal. Arrimal is included in the district of Porto de Mós and is located in the heart of Serra D´Aires e Candeeiros Natural Park, the most important limestone extraction centre of Portugal.

Arrimal is a town with ancient traditions, being famous for its traditional popular musical band called “Rancho Folclórico Luz dos Candeeiros”. The local habitants have managed to keep an old tradition of organizing a summer traditional fair, that is known throughout the region for its intensity and joy. The town is also known for its beautiful mountain landscapes and natural lakes.

Today, Arrimal is the base town for the exploration of Semi Rijo limestone, where some of the main companies exploring this limestone are based. Apart of natural stone extraction, the main economic activity is small scale agriculture that has been developed throughout history and passed by generation to generation.

The limestone

The Semi Rijo limestone is explored around the area of Arrimal – Porto de Mós, by less than twenty companies of small to medium size. The quarries where the Semi Rijo limestone is explored are considered of large dimension and the the majority of blocks are extracted and prepared for commercialization in big dimensions. The Semi Rijo extraction area is included in the ring of limestones extraction area, together with other major limestones such as the Moca Cream, Moleanos, Rosal or Azul Valverde.

The Semi Rijo limestone is a type of natural stone known for its white colour and uniform background, which is very appreciated in the international market. In addition, the Semi Rijo is a limestone with regular supply and has continuity in terms of quality, which is great news for companies looking for a white coloured limestone for large scale projects (for example, exterior cladding). However, in terms of hardness the Semi Rijo is considered a soft natural stone, which creates some limitations in terms of utilization. It is not recommended for interior or exterior applications with moderate to high utilization.

Constraints

Unfortunately, as is the case with the other main portuguese limestones, the exploring area for the Semi Rijo limestone is located in a protected Natural Reserve - the Serra D´Aires e Candeeiros Natural Park. This situation constrains the extraction expansion and development of some quarries, which raises questions about the short / medium term sustainability of some of the quarries.

In addition to natural constraints, the Semi Rijo limestone has seen an exponential increase in demand. As a result, the limited supply from local producers does not match the high international demand from the international market, which increases its price.