Definition
Pumice is a volcanic rock that consists of highly vesicular rough textured volcanic glass, which may or may not contain crystals
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
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Old French pomis, from a Latin dialect variant of pumex
From the Greek marmaros, shining stone and also from the English word marmoreal meaning marble-like
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Vesicular
Granular
Color
Beige, Colourless, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Pink, White, Yellow- grey
Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Vesicular
Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Powder
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, In landscaping and horticulture, Making natural cement, Production of lightweight concrete blocks
As Dimension Stone
Medical Industry
As an abrasive in skin exfoliating products, In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
As a traction material on snow-covered roads, As an abrasive in pencil erasers, Fine abrasive used for polishing, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Used in aquariums
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Laboratory bench tops, Paper Industry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
Types
Scoria
Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Calacatta marble, Cultured Marble, Polished Marble, Honed Marble, Sand Marble
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
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
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Bust of Artemis, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Lincoln Memorial in America
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Pumice rock forms when the magma cools so quickly that atoms in the melt are not able to arrange themselves into a crystalline structure.
Marble is a metamorphic rock produced from limestone in the earth crust. It is formed by the metamorphism of limestone.
Mineral Content
Aluminum Oxides, Calcite, Carbonate, Iron Oxides, Silica
Garnet, Graphite, Olivine, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Al, Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium Grained
Fracture
Planar
Not Available
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Earthy
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Toughness
3
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
0.25-0.3 g/cm3
2.4-2.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
China, India
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
Namibia
Europe
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Italy, Spain
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, USA
Not Yet Found
South America
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
Pumice vs Marble 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. Pumice vs Marble characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pumice and Properties of Marble. Learn more about Pumice vs Marble in the next section. The interior uses of Pumice include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Marble include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Pumice and Marble, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Pumice in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, In landscaping and horticulture, Making natural cement, Production of lightweight concrete blocks and that of Marble include As dimension stone.
More about Pumice and Marble
Here you can know more about Pumice and Marble. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pumice and Marble consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Pumice includes Aluminum Oxides, Calcite, Carbonate, Iron Oxides, Silica and mineral content of Marble includes Garnet, Graphite, Olivine, Pyrite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Pumice vs Marble, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Pumice is available in beige, colourless, grey, light green, light grey, pink, white, yellow- grey colors whereas, Marble is available in black, blue, brown, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Pumice is Vesicular and that of Marble is Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pumice vs Marble. The hardness of Pumice is 6 and that of Marble is 3-4. The types of Pumice are Scoria whereas types of Marble are Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Calacatta marble, Cultured Marble, Polished Marble, Honed Marble, Sand Marble. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Pumice and Marble is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Pumice is 0.87 kJ/Kg K and that of Marble is 0.88 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Pumice is impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Marble is heat resistant.