Carrara Marble Mineral Composition

It is composed primarily of the mineral calcite caco 3 and usually contains other minerals such as clay minerals micas quartz pyrite iron oxides and graphite.

Carrara marble mineral composition.

Marble is considered to be a strong hard stone even though its primary mineral calcite only has a mohs hardness of 3. In geology the term marble refers to metamorphosed limestone but its use in stonemasonry more broadly encompasses unmetamorphosed limestone. The black yeast micrococcus halobius can colonize carrara marble by forming a biofilm and producing gluconic lactic pyruvic and succinic acids from glucose as seen in the dionysos theater of the acropolis in athens. Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals most commonly calcite or dolomite.

As anticipated marble is a carbonate rock that is to say it is mainly based on carbonate it must have at least 50 of carbonates. Marble tends to be light in color. Typically marble is composed of the following major constituents. In addition to the major constituents marble can have many different mineral impurities of various percentages.

Statuary marble comes in different subtypes such as statuary carrara 1 which is almost entirely white in color statuary carrara 1 which has a slightly more yellow tone to it and statuary mossa which has a uniform beige color throughout. Marble is typically not foliated although there are exceptions. Grade select grade 0 30 microns 0 60 microns 0 200 microns 0 300 microns 0 400 microns 0 600 microns 0 800 microns 0 1 0 3mm fine chippings 0 2 0 6mm fine chippings 0 4 0 8mm fine chippings 0 6 1 2mm fine chippings 1 2 1 8mm fine chippings clear. Carrara marble contains on average about 98 of calcium carbonate together with small percentage of silica magnesia dolomite and residue.

Mechanical and microstructural development of carrara marble with pre existing strain variation rolf h c. The different arrays of. Under the conditions of metamorphism the calcite in the. Marble can be scratched with a metal blade.

Marble worktops marble is a metamorphic rock which is formed when limestone re crystallizes. 38 42 lime cao 20 25 silica sio2 2 4 alumina al2o3 1 5 2 5 various oxides nao and mgo and 30 32 various carbonates mgco3 and others. Statuary marble is oftentimes confused with calcutta and carrara marble due to the striking similarities in the colors. This process is caused by heat and pressure which interlocks the stone particles to become a mosaic of crystals.