Marble
Marble
Marble
A block of marble
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.
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]
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:
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
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
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.
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]
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]
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
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