Marble
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Veronidae" title="User:Veronidae">Veronidae</a> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mineral NameMarble
Chemical FormulaCaCO3 (primarily)
Mohs Hardness3
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavageperfect rhombohedral (due to calcite)
Fractureuneven
Specific Gravity2.7
Colorswhite, grey, pink, green, black, yellow, brown
Transparencytranslucent
Type LocalityWorldwide (e.g., Carrara, Italy; Vermont, USA)
Mineral GroupMetamorphic rock (composed of Carbonates)
Usessculpture, building material, decorative stone, flooring, countertops
Associated Mineralscalcite, dolomite, quartz, mica, graphite
Raritycommon
Description
A light beige to off-white metamorphic rock with a fine-grained, sugary texture, appearing somewhat blocky in form.
Geological Context
Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock formed from the recrystallization of sedimentary carbonate rocks, most commonly limestone or dolostone, under intense heat and pressure.
