sedimentary

Travertine

Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)

Hardness: 3 on the Mohs scale. Color: Tan, brown, cream, or beige. Luster: Dull to sub-vitreous. Structure: Crystalline, often fibrous or concentric, featuring characteristic porous or pitted surface textures.

Hardness: 3 on the Mohs scale
Color: Tan, brown, cream, or beige
Luster: Dull to sub-vitreous

Identified August 7, 2026More sedimentary →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed by the precipitation of carbonate minerals from ground and surface waters, or hot springs. It often forms around mineral springs, especially hot springs, over geological time.

Uses & applications

Widely used in architecture and interior design for flooring, wall cladding, countertops, patio pavers, and decorative stone items.

Geological facts

Travertine has been used as a building material since ancient times. The Colosseum in Rome is famously built largely of travertine, making it the largest building in the world constructed mostly of this stone.

Field identification & locations

Identified easily by its light earth tones and characteristic porous cavities (vugs) formed by trapped gas bubbles during precipitation. Found extensively in Italy, Turkey, Iran, and the United States (such as Yellowstone National Park).