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
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
History
Origin
Egypt
-
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the Greek marmaros, shining stone and also from the English word marmoreal meaning marble-like
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
-
Plutonic
Other Categories
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular
Foliated, Glassy
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Maintenance
More
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Veined and Shiny
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Architecture
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
-
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
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
Creating Artwork, Curling
Types
Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Calacatta marble, Cultured Marble, Polished Marble, Honed Marble, Sand Marble
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
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, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
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
-
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Bust of Artemis, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Lincoln Memorial in America
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Absent
Absent
Formation
Marble is a metamorphic rock produced from limestone in the earth crust. It is formed by the metamorphism of limestone.
Anorthosite is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock which is characterized by a predominance of plagioclase feldspar which is almost 90–100%, and a minimal mafic component.
Composition
Mineral Content
Garnet, Graphite, Olivine, Pyrite, Quartz
Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene
Compound Content
CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
3-45-6
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Medium Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
-
Irregular
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Pearly to Subvitreous
Compressive Strength
115.00 N/mm2180.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
Perfect
-
Toughness
-
-
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.872.62-2.82
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.4-2.7 g/cm32.7-4 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
-
Africa
Namibia
-
Europe
Italy, Spain
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
-
Canada
South America
-
Bolivia, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia