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
  
A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.
  
History
  
  
Origin
Egypt
  
USA
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From the Greek marmaros, shining stone and also from the English word marmoreal meaning marble-like
  
From English word serpentinization.
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Granular
  
Earthy
  
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
  
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
  
Maintenance
More
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Veined and Shiny
  
Rough and Dull
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
  
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
  
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
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
  
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
  
Types
Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Calacatta marble, Cultured Marble, Polished Marble, Honed Marble, Sand Marble
  
Jadeitite
  
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Host Rock for Lead
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
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
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Bust of Artemis, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Lincoln Memorial in America
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
Formation
Marble is a metamorphic rock produced from limestone in the earth crust. It is formed by the metamorphism of limestone.
  
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Serpentinite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Garnet, Graphite, Olivine, Pyrite, Quartz
  
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
  
Compound Content
CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
  
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Not Applicable
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
3-4
  
3-5
  
Grain Size
Medium Grained
  
Very fine-grained
  
Fracture
Not Available
  
Uneven
  
Streak
White
  
White, Greenish White or Grey
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
  
Waxy and Dull
  
Compressive Strength
115.00 N/mm2
  
18
310.00 N/mm2
  
2
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Irregular
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
7
  
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
  
2.79-3
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.4-2.7 g/cm3
  
2.5-3 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K
  
13
0.95 kJ/Kg K
  
9
Resistance
Heat Resistant
  
Heat Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India
  
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
  
Africa
Namibia
  
Ethiopia, Western Africa
  
Europe
Italy, Spain
  
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Not Yet Found
  
Canada
  
South America
Not Yet Found
  
Colombia
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
  
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia