metamorphic
Pink Marble
Metamorphic Limestone (predominantly Calcite, CaCO3)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness: 3 on Mohs scale; Color: peachy-pink to pale salmon with mottled cream and faint reddish patches; Luster: vitreous to pearly when polished; Texture: fine- to medium-grained granoblastic; Cleavage: rhombohedral in individual calcite grains; Specific Gravity: approximately 2.6 - 2.8
- Hardness
- 3 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- vitreous to pearly when polished
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Physical properties
Hardness: 3 on Mohs scale; Color: peachy-pink to pale salmon with mottled cream and faint reddish patches; Luster: vitreous to pearly when polished; Texture: fine- to medium-grained granoblastic; Cleavage: rhombohedral in individual calcite grains; Specific Gravity: approximately 2.6 - 2.8
Formation & geological history
Formed through regional or contact metamorphism of limestone or dolostone under high temperature and pressure, causing recrystallization of carbonate minerals into an interlocking mosaic. Trace amounts of iron oxides or manganese lend the pink hue.
Uses & applications
Commonly carved and polished into decorative shapes such as eggs, spheres, statues, tiles, countertops, and architectural cladding.
Geological facts
Marble reacts vigorously with dilute hydrochloric acid by effervescing (producing CO2 bubbles). Famous examples of pink marble include Norwegian Rose marble and Tennessee Pink marble.
Field identification & locations
Recognized in the field by its softness (can be scratched by a steel nail or copper penny with effort), sugary recrystallized crystalline appearance, and effervescence with weak acid. Frequently quarried in Italy, Norway, Spain, and the United States.
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