metamorphic
White Marble
Metamorphic Limestone (CaCO3)
Hardness: 3 on Mohs scale; Color: pure white to off-white; Luster: vitreous to sugary/sugary-satin; Crystal structure: Trigonal (interlocking calcite grains); Cleavage: Perfect in 3 directions (rhombohedral), though obscured by sugary texture; Specific gravity: 2.6 - 2.8
- Hardness
- 3 on Mohs scale
- Color
- pure white to off-white
- Luster
- vitreous to sugary/sugary-satin
Identified More metamorphic →
Explore White 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 off-white; Luster: vitreous to sugary/sugary-satin; Crystal structure: Trigonal (interlocking calcite grains); Cleavage: Perfect in 3 directions (rhombohedral), though obscured by sugary texture; Specific gravity: 2.6 - 2.8
Formation & geological history
Formed when limestone undergoes regional or contact metamorphism under extreme heat and pressure, recrystallizing the original carbonate minerals into a dense, sugary mesh of calcite grains. Commonly found in mountain belts formed by continental collisions.
Uses & applications
Extensively used as a building stone, in sculpture, as a soil conditioner, for neutralizing acid in chemical industries, and as an ingredient in cosmetics, paint, and paper processing.
Geological facts
Pure white marble comes from the metamorphism of very pure silicate-free limestone or dolomite. Famous structures made from white marble include the Taj Mahal and the Parthenon. Michelangelo carved his famous 'David' out of Carrara white marble.
Field identification & locations
Identified in the field by its soft hardness (easily scratched by a copper penny or steel nail), sugary crystalline appearance, and violent effervescence (fizzing) when exposed to cold diluted hydrochloric acid.
More like this
