Definition
Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock which is composed of recrystallized carbonate which is formed when limestone is exposed to high temperatures and pressures over a long time
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the Greek marmaros, shining stone and also from the English word marmoreal meaning marble-like
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined and Shiny
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
Other Architectural Uses
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Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Laboratory bench tops, Paper Industry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Calacatta marble, Cultured Marble, Polished Marble, Honed Marble, Sand Marble
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Buland Darwaza in Agra, India, Capitol Hill Building, Washington DC, Charminar in Hyderabad, India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Maharashtra, India, Ephesus in Turkey, Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, Humayun's Tomb in Delhi, India, Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India, Louvre in Paris, France, Mysore Palace in Karnataka, India, Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, Romania, Parthenon in Greece, Potala Palace in Lahasa, Tibet, Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, Qutb Minar in India, Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, St. Peter’s Cathedral in Vatican City, Taj Mahal in Agra, India, Tower of Pisa, Italy, Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, India, Washington Monument, US
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Famous Sculptures
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Bust of Artemis, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Lincoln Memorial in America
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Formation
Marble is a metamorphic rock produced from limestone in the earth crust. It is formed by the metamorphism of limestone.
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.
Mineral Content
Garnet, Graphite, Olivine, Pyrite, Quartz
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Medium Grained
Coarse Grained
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
3.2-3.5
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.7 g/cm3
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
India, Russia
Africa
Namibia
South Africa
Europe
Italy, Spain
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
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Canada, USA
South America
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Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
New Zealand, Queensland
All about Marble and Pyroxenite Properties
Know all about Marble and Pyroxenite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Marble belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Pyroxenite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Marble is Granular whereas that of Pyroxenite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic. Marble appears Veined and Shiny and Pyroxenite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Marble is dull to pearly to subvitreous while that of Pyroxenite is dull to vitreous to submetallic. Marble is available in black, blue, brown, grey, pink, white colors whereas Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. The commercial uses of Marble are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling, laboratory bench tops, paper industry, tombstones, used in aquariums, whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper and that of Pyroxenite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.