metamorphic
Carrara Marble
Recrystallized Calcite (CaCO3)
Hardness: 3 on Mohs scale; Color: Pure white to blue-gray; Luster: Waxy to pearly; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal (granular); Cleavage: Perfect rhombohedral (in individual crystals).
- Hardness
- 3 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Pure white to blue-gray
- Luster
- Waxy to pearly
Identified More metamorphic →
Explore Carrara Marble in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 3 on Mohs scale; Color: Pure white to blue-gray; Luster: Waxy to pearly; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal (granular); Cleavage: Perfect rhombohedral (in individual crystals).
Formation & geological history
Formed through the regional metamorphism of limestone under high pressure and temperature. The Carrara deposits in Italy date back to the Jurassic period (approx. 190 million years ago).
Uses & applications
Predominantly used for sculpture, architecture, flooring, and interior design. Historically favored by artists like Michelangelo for its homogeneity and softness.
Geological facts
This specimen is a bust of Joseph John Thomson, the physicist who discovered the electron. Marble is sensitive to acids and will effervesce (fizz) when in contact with dilute hydrochloric acid.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its characteristic sugary (saccharoidal) texture on broken surfaces and its ability to be scratched by a copper coin. Commonly found in the Apuan Alps of Italy.
More like this
