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 yellow sandstone which is flexible when cut into thin strips
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the Greek marmaros, shining stone and also from the English word marmoreal meaning marble-like
From the name of a mountain range where it was found; Itacolumi mountain in Brazil
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular
Clastic, Granular, Rough
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Veined and Shiny
Rough
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
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
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
Types
Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Calacatta marble, Cultured Marble, Polished Marble, Honed Marble, Sand Marble
Not Available
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained 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
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Bust of Artemis, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Lincoln Memorial in America
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Formation
Marble is a metamorphic rock produced from limestone in the earth crust. It is formed by the metamorphism of limestone.
Itacolumite is a sedimentary rock which forms from cemented sand-sized clasts and is a type of sandstone.
Mineral Content
Garnet, Graphite, Olivine, Pyrite, Quartz
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Compound Content
CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium Grained
Coarse or Fine
Fracture
Not Available
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Dull
Toughness
Not Available
2.6
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.2-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.7 g/cm3
2.2-2.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Africa
Namibia
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Italy, Spain
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Not Yet Found
Canada, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
New South Wales, New Zealand
Marble vs Itacolumite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Marble vs Itacolumite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Marble and Properties of Itacolumite. Learn more about Marble vs Itacolumite in the next section. The interior uses of Marble include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads whereas the interior uses of Itacolumite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Marble and Itacolumite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Marble in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Itacolumite include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Production of glass and ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Marble and Itacolumite
Here you can know more about Marble and Itacolumite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Marble and Itacolumite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Marble includes Garnet, Graphite, Olivine, Pyrite, Quartz and mineral content of Itacolumite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Marble vs Itacolumite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Marble is available in black, blue, brown, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Itacolumite is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Marble is Veined and Shiny and that of Itacolumite is Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Marble vs Itacolumite. The hardness of Marble is 3-4 and that of Itacolumite is 6-7. The types of Marble are Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Calacatta marble, Cultured Marble, Polished Marble, Honed Marble, Sand Marble whereas types of Itacolumite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Marble and Itacolumite is white. The specific heat capacity of Marble is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Itacolumite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Marble is heat resistant whereas Itacolumite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.