Marble

Marble
Metamorphic rock
Marble
Composition
Mostly calcite or dolomite
Physical Characteristics
FabricTypically not foliated
Relationships
Protolithscarbonate minerals, Limestone, Dolomite

Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure.[1] It has a crystalline texture, and is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions.

In geology, the term marble refers to metamorphosed limestone, but its use in stonemasonry more broadly encompasses unmetamorphosed limestone.[2]

Pure white marble arises from very clean limestone or rock also called dolomite. However, its signature veins and swirls result from impurities like clay, sand, iron oxides, or chert originally present in the protolith—magnesium-rich varieties may show green tones due to serpentine. These impurities are redistributed and recrystallized during metamorphism. [1]

Because of its high hardness and strong wear resistance, and because it will not be deformed by temperature, marble is often used in sculpture and construction.[3] In sculpture marble is ideal for fine detail due to its uniform grain, moderate hardness, and ability to scatter light beneath the surface (subsurface scattering), lending the sculpture a lifelike, waxy appearance.[4] In architecture marble is valued for its polishable surface, hardness, and wear resistance. In stonemasonry, “marble” may broadly include similar crystalline rocks, even if not true geological marble.[5]

The extraction of marble is performed by quarrying. Marble production is dominated by four countries: China, Italy, India and Spain, which account for almost half of world production of marble and decorative stone.[6]

  1. ^ a b "Marble | Definition, Types, Uses, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  2. ^ Kearey, Philip (2001). Dictionary of Geology, Penguin Group, London and New York, p. 163. ISBN 978-0-14-051494-0
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Jensen, H. W., Marschner, S. R., Levoy, M., & Hanrahan, P. (2001). A practical model for subsurface light transport. Proceedings of the 28th Annual Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques (SIGGRAPH ’01), 511–518. ACM Press. https://doi.org/10.1145/383259.383319
  5. ^ El-Goddy, A., & El-Gendy, N. (2023). A prediction method for abrasion loss rate of some Egyptian carbonate rocks due to cyclic salt crystallization weathering using physico-mechanical deterioration: Insights from laboratory investigations. Acta Geodaetica et Geophysica. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40328-023-00401-2
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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