CHARACTERISTICS OF MARBLE IN MATA WAWATU AND SANGGULA AREA, NORTH MORAMO DISTRICT, SOUTH KONAWE REGENCY, SOUTHEAST SULAWESI PROVINCE

Southeast Sulawesi has the greatest marble potential in Indonesia. One of the marble potential are as in the Southeast Sulawesi is Mata Wawatu and Sanggula, North Moramo District of the South Konawe Regency. However, there is no detailed research on marble characteristics in this area. The marble characteristics in the study area are grey with non-foliation structures and lens texture or augen texture. Petrographically, constituent minerals of the marble are dominated by crystal size <= 0.1 - 1 mm which are calcite, dolomite, quartz, hematite, and opaque minerals.The research area's marble provides varied texture features, namely subidobobastic and xenoblastic textures (based on individual form crystals), crystalloblastic textures (based on resistance to metamorphism), nematoblastic and granuloblastic textures (based on their mineral form), and saccharoidal texture and mortar texture (based on texture in particular). The engineering properties of marble give varying values, where the compressive strength value is 235.718 -389.338 kg / cm(2), the wear resistance value is 0.0414 -0.0498 mm / min, and the water absorption value is 0.275 -0.763%. CaO is the most abundant compound on marble with an abundance of 50.44 -55.90 wt. %. Based on its engineering properties, marble in the research area can be recommended as an ornamental stone. Based on the specification of the main oxide compound, the northeastern marble of the research area are recommended for the paper industry, textile dyes, sugar screening, and cement production whereas the southwestern marble of the research area is less utilizable.