ered ▁quart z ▁is ▁widely ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁developed ▁world ▁for ▁counter ▁to ps , ▁window ▁s ills , ▁and ▁floor ▁and ▁wall ▁cover ings . ▁ ▁The ▁vast ▁majority ▁of ▁engine ered ▁stone ▁companies ▁are ▁located ▁in ▁Gre ater ▁China , ▁India , ▁and ▁its ▁birth place ▁in ▁Italy . ▁ ▁One ▁form ▁invent ed ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁is ▁Bre ton stone . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Bibli ography ▁▁▁ ▁George ▁Ri ple y , ▁ed ., ▁The ▁American ▁Cy c lop ædia : ▁A ▁Popular ▁Dictionary ▁of ▁General ▁Know ledge , ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁s . v . ▁' con crete ' ▁ ▁Category : Build ing ▁materials ▁Category : Build ing ▁stone ▁Category : P av ements <0x0A> </s> ▁The ▁Argent ine ▁Confeder ation ▁( Span ish : ▁Conf ed era ción ▁Argentina ) ▁was ▁the ▁last ▁prede cess or ▁state ▁of ▁modern ▁Argentina ; ▁its ▁name ▁is ▁still ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁official ▁names ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁Argent ine ▁Constitution , ▁Article ▁ 3 5 . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁from ▁ 1 8 3 1 ▁to ▁ 1 8 5 2 , ▁when ▁the ▁provinces ▁were ▁organized ▁as ▁a ▁conf eder ation ▁without ▁a ▁head ▁of ▁state . ▁The ▁governor ▁of ▁Buenos ▁Aires ▁Province ▁( J uan ▁Manuel ▁de ▁Ros as ▁during ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁period ) ▁managed ▁foreign ▁relations ▁during ▁this ▁time . ▁Under ▁his ▁rule , ▁the ▁Argent ine ▁Confeder ation ▁resist ed ▁attacks