Marble

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Marble

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This article may be too technical for most readers to understand. Please
helpimprove this article to make it understandable to non-experts, without removing
the technical details. The talk page may contain suggestions. (October 2014)
This article is about the rock. For the toy, see Marble (toy). For other uses, see Marble
(disambiguation).

A block of marble

The Taj Mahal is entirely clad in marble.

Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most


commonly calcite or dolomite. Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to
metamorphosed limestone; however, stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass
unmetamorphosed limestone.[1] Marble is commonly used for sculpture and as a buildingmaterial.

Contents
[hide]

 1 Etymology
 2 Physical origins
 3 Types
 4 Uses
o 4.1 Sculpture
o 4.2 Construction marble
 5 Production
 6 Microbial degradation
 7 Cultural associations
 8 Artificial marble
 9 Gallery
 10 See also
 11 References
 12 External links

Etymology[edit]

Carlo Franzoni's sculptural marble chariot clock depicting Clio, the Greek muse of history.

Marble wall of Ruskeala. Republic of Karelia, Russia

The word "marble" derives from theGreek μάρμαρον (mármaron),[2]from μάρμαρος (mármaros),
"crystalline rock, shining stone",[3][4]perhaps from the verb μαρμαίρω (marmaírō), "to flash, sparkle,
gleam";[5] R. S. P. Beekes has suggested that a "Pre-Greek origin is probable."[6]

Folded and weathered marble atGeneral Carrera Lake, Chile


This stem is also the basis for the English word marmoreal, meaning "marble-like." While the
English term resembles the French marbre, most other European languages follow the original
Greek —
seePersian and Irish marmar, Spanishmármol, Italian marmo, Portuguesemármore, Welsh, Slove
ne, German,Norwegian, Danish and Swedishmarmor, Romanian marmură,Polish marmur, Dutch
marmer, Turkish mermer, Czech mramor, and Russianмрáмор (mramor). In Hungarian it is
called márvány.

Physical origins[edit]
Marble is a rock resulting from metamorphism of sedimentary carbonate rocks, most
commonly limestone or dolomite rock. Metamorphism causes variable recrystallization of the
original carbonate mineral grains. The resulting marble rock is typically composed of an
interlocking mosaic of carbonate crystals. Primary sedimentary textures and structures of the
original carbonate rock (protolith) have typically been modified or destroyed.
Pure white marble is the result of metamorphism of a very pure (silicate-poor) limestone or
dolomite protolith. The characteristic swirls and veins of many colored marble varieties are
usually due to various mineral impurities such asclay, silt, sand, iron oxides, or chert which were
originally present as grains or layers in the limestone. Green coloration is often due
to serpentine resulting from originally high magnesium limestone or dolostone with silica
impurities. These various impurities have been mobilized and recrystallized by the intense
pressure and heat of the metamorphism.

Types[edit]
Main article: List of types of marble
Examples of historically notable marble varieties and locations:

Marble Color Location Country

Carrara marble white or blue-gray Carrara, Tuscany Italy

Connemara
green Connemara, County Galway Ireland
marble

United
Creole marble white and blue/black Pickens County, Georgia
States

United
Etowah marble pink, salmon, rose Pickens County, Georgia
States

United
Murphy marble white Pickens and Gilmer Counties, Georgia
States

Parian marble Greece


pure-white, fine- Island of Paros (Πάρος), South Aegean(Νοτίου
grained Αιγαίου)

pure-white, fine-
Pentelic Mount Pentelicus (Πεντελικό
grained Greece
marble[7] όρος), Attica(Ἀττική)
semitranslucent

United
Purbeck marble Gray/brown Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Kingdom

Ruskeala marble white near Ruskeala (Рускеала), Karelia(Карелия) Russia

Rușchița white, pinkish,


Poiana Ruscă Mountains, Caraș-Severin County
marble[8] reddish Romania

yellow with violet,


Sienna marble[9] red, blue or white near Siena, Tuscany Italy
veins

Bianco Sivec white near Prilep (Прилеп), Pelagonia(Пелагониски) Macedonia

Swedish green
green near Kolmården, Södermanland Sweden
marble

Sylacauga United
white Talladega County, Alabama
marble States

United
Vermont marble white Proctor, Vermont
States

United
Yule marble uniform pure white near Marble, Colorado
States

Wunsiedel
white Wunsiedel, Bavaria Germany
marble

Makrana marble
white Makrana, Nagaur district, Rajasthan India
(Sangemarmar)
Uses[edit]

Ritual amphora of veined marble from Zakros. New palace period (1500-1450
BC), Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete.

Marble Products in Romblon,Philippines.

Sculpture[edit]
White marble has been prized for its use in sculptures since classical times. This preference has
to do with its softness, which made it easier to carve, relativeisotropy and homogeneity, and a
relative resistance to shattering. Also, the lowindex of refraction of calcite allows light to penetrate
several millimeters into the stone before being scattered out, resulting in the characteristic waxy
look which gives "life" to marble sculptures of any kind, which is why many sculptors preferred
and still prefer marble for sculpting.
Construction marble[edit]
Construction marble is a stone which is composed of calcite, dolomite or serpentine which is
capable of taking a polish.[10] More generally in construction, specifically the dimension
stone trade, the term "marble" is used for any crystalline calcitic rock (and some non-calcitic
rocks) useful as building stone. For example, Tennessee marble is really a dense granular
fossiliferous gray to pink to maroon Ordovician limestone that geologists call the Holston
Formation.
Ashgabat, the capital city of Turkmenistan, was recorded in the 2013 Guinness Book of
Records as having the world's highest concentration of white marble buildings.[11]

Production[edit]
According to the United States Geological Survey, U.S. domestic marble production in 2006 was
46,400 tons valued at $18.1 million, compared to 72,300 tons valued at $18.9 million in 2005.
Crushed marble production (for aggregate and industrial uses) in 2006 was 11.8 million tons
valued at $116 million, of which 6.5 million tons was finely ground calcium carbonate and the rest
was construction aggregate. For comparison, 2005 crushed marble production was 7.76 million
tons valued at $58.7 million, of which 4.8 million tons was finely ground calcium carbonate and
the rest was construction aggregate. U.S. dimension marble demand is about 1.3 million tons.
The DSAN World Demand for (finished) Marble Index has shown a growth of 12% annually for
the 2000–2006 period, compared to 10.5% annually for the 2000–2005 period. The largest
dimension marble application is tile.
Marble production is dominated by 4 countries that account for almost half of world production of
marble and decorative stone. Italy is the world leader in marble production, with 20% share in
global marble production followed by China with 16% of world production. India is third ranking
with 10% of world production, followed by Spain in fourth ranking position with 6% of world
production. The other marble producing countries of the world represent the remaining other half
of world marble production.[12]

Microbial degradation[edit]
The haloalkaliphilic methylotrophic bacterium Methylophaga murata was isolated from
deteriorating marble in theKremlin.[13] Bacterial and fungal degradation was detected in four
samples of marble from Milan cathedral; blackCladosporium attacked dried acrylic resin[14] using
melanin.[15]

Cultural associations[edit]

Jadwiga of Poland's sarcophagus by Antoni Madeyski, Wawel Cathedral,Cracow

Relief on the Marble Door of theHagia Sophia in Istanbul

As the favorite medium for Greek and Roman sculptors and architects (seeclassical sculpture),
marble has become a cultural symbol of tradition and refined taste. Its extremely varied and
colorful patterns make it a favorite decorative material, and it is often imitated in background
patterns for computer displays, etc.
Places named after the stone includeMarblehead, Ohio; Marblehead, Massachusetts; Marble
Arch, London; the Sea of Marmara; India's Marble Rocks; and the towns of Marble,
Minnesota; Marble, Colorado; Marble Falls, Texas, andMarble Hill, Manhattan, New York.
The Elgin Marbles are marble sculptures from the Parthenon that are on display in the British
Museum. They were brought to Britain by the Earl of Elgin.

Artificial marble[edit]
Marble dust is combined with cement or synthetic resins to make reconstituted or cultured
marble. The appearance of marble can be simulated with faux marbling, a painting technique that
imitates the stone's color patterns.
Gallery[edit]

The Nike of Samothrace is made of


Parian marble (c. 220–190 BC)

Laocoön and His Sons in theVatican


The Praetorians Relief, made from
grey veined marble,c. 51–52 AD

Ancient marble columns in the


prayer hall of the Mosque of Uqba,
in Kairouan, Tunisia

Marble sculpture of St. John the


Baptist by Igor Mitoraj at Santa
Maria degli Angeli e dei
Martiriin Rome
The Illinois Centennial Monument is
cased inTennessee marble and rests
in the center of the square named
for American Civil
War General John A.
Loganin Chicago

Cleopatra by William Wetmore


Story was described and admired
inNathaniel Hawthorne's
romance, The Marble Faun, and is on
display at the The Metropolitan
Museum of Artin New York, New
York

See also[edit]
 Cultured marble, marble powder with a binder.
 International Association of Marble, Slate and Stone Polishers, Rubbers and Sawyers, Tile
and Marble setters' Helpers and Marble Mosaic and Terrazzo Workers' Helpers.
 faux marbling, painting surfaces to look like marble.
 Marble sculpture
 Paper marbling
 Pietra dura, inlaying with marble and other stones.
 Scagliola, imitating marble with plasterwork.
 Verd antique, sometimes (erroneously) called "serpentine marble".
 Ruin marble, marble that contains light and dark patterns, giving the impression of a ruined
cityscape.

References[edit]
1. Jump up^ Kearey, Philip (2001). Dictionary of Geology, Penguin Group, London and New York, p.
163. ISBN 978-0-14-051494-0
2. Jump up^ μάρμαρον, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek–English Lexicon, on Perseus
Digital Library
3. Jump up^ μάρμαρος, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek–English Lexicon, on Perseus
Digital Library
4. Jump up^ Marble, Compact Oxford English Dictionary. Askoxford.com. Retrieved on 2011-09-30.
5. Jump up^ μαρμαίρω, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
Digital Library
6. Jump up^ R. S. P. Beekes, Etymological Dictionary of Greek, Brill, 2009, p. 907.
7. Jump up^ Pentelic marble, Britannica Online Encyclopaedia. Britannica.com. Retrieved on 2011-
09-30.
8. Jump up^ Raport de Tarǎ. Domul din Milano a fost reconstruit cu marmură de Rușchița
9. Jump up^ Jameson first=Robert (2011). System of Mineralogy (2 [Digital] ed.). Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.ISBN 9781108029742.
10. Jump up^ Marble Institute of America pp. 223 Glossary
11. Jump up^ "Turkmenistan enters record books for having the most white marble buildings | World
news". London: theguardian.com. 2013-05-26. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
12. Jump up^ http://www.tunisianindustry.nat.tn/en/download/CEPI/IMCCV02.pdf
13. Jump up^ Doronina NV; Li TsD; Ivanova EG; Trotsenko IuA. (2005). "Methylophaga murata sp.
nov.: a haloalkaliphilic aerobic methylotroph from deteriorating marble]". Mikrobiologiia 74 (4):
511–9. PMID 16211855.
14. Jump up^ Cappitelli F; Principi P; Pedrazzani R; Toniolo L; Sorlini C (2007). "Bacterial and fungal
deterioration of the Milan Cathedral marble treated with protective synthetic resins". The science of
the total environment 385 (1-3): 172–81.doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.06.022. PMID 17658586.
15. Jump up^ Cappitelli F; Nosanchuk JD; Casadevall A; Toniolo L; Brusetti L; Florio S,; Principi P;
Borin S; Sorlini C (Jan 2007)."Synthetic consolidants attacked by melanin-producing fungi: case
study of the biodeterioration of Milan (Italy) cathedral marble treated with acrylics". Applied
environmental microbiology 73 (1): 271–7. doi:10.1128/AEM.02220-
06.PMC 1797126. PMID 17071788.

External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has
media related to Marble.

 Dimension Stone Statistics and Information – United States Geological Survey minerals
information for dimension stone
 USGS 2005 Minerals Yearbook: Stone, Crushed
 USGS 2005 Minerals Yearbook: Stone, Dimension
 USGS 2006 Minerals Yearbook: Stone, Crushed
 USGS 2006 Minerals Yearbook: Stone, Dimension
 Marble Institute of America

[hide]

 V

 T

 E
Stonemasonry

 Ashlar
 Carving
 Dry stone
 Masonry
Types Monumental
 Rubble
 Sculpture
 Slipform

 List of stone
 Artificial stone
 Brick
 Cast stone
 Decorative stones
 Dimension stone
 Fieldstone
Materials Flagstone
 Gabion
 Granite
 Marble
 Mortar
 Sandstone
 Slate

 Angle grinder
 Bush hammer
 Ceramic tile cutter
 Chisel
 Diamond blade
Tools Lewis (lifting appliance)
 Non-explosive demolition agents
 Plug and feather
 Stonemason's hammer
 Straightedge

 Brickwork
 Knapping
 Flushwork
Techniques Repointing
 Scabbling
 Tuckpointing

 Hardstone carving
 Headstone
Products Mosaic
 Sculpture
 Stone wall

 International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers


 Master of Work to the Crown of Scotland
Organizations Mason Contractors Association of America
 Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International Association
 Worshipful Company of Masons

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