Marble serves to the human as one of the most common decorations and structural materials for ages. But have you ever thought, “where does marble come from?”
Homeowners all around the world prefer marble countertops for their elegance and easy access. Marble brightens up the dim bathrooms, adds a sophisticated look to the ordinary kitchens, and upgrades many other places with its strong nature and aesthetic beauty.
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Some Practical Questions About Marble
You might be wondering about the marble when it is still under the Earth’s surface or its journey to our houses. In this post, you will learn about marble, including how it comes to our homes. As you read through the article, you will understand how marble can survive the test of time. Enjoy!
What is Marble?
Being a metamorphic rock, marble is a very common natural stone that has been in use for ages. Though many people are familiar with this stone from the marble countertops in their houses, marble has been the essential material for constructions, graves, decoration, sculpture, and various decorative works. Additionally, marbles can vary in colors and patterns like white, gray, cream, black…etc.
How is Marble Formed?
Marble is a natural stone that comes into being through a metamorphosis under the Earth’s surface. The extreme heat and pressure cause the carbon minerals in the rock to recrystallize. This crystallization also affects the minerals in the rock and fossilized minerals in the limestone, and they turn into calcite. As the heat increases towards the hot igneous rock, the amount of interlocking crystal mosaics of carbonate increases and makes bigger marble stones.
In different parts of the Earth, there are convergent plate margins that supply the marble to the world. The marble reserves are usually hundreds of meters thick, and they range under huge geographical regions.
Where Does Marble Come From?
Marble can be found in different parts of the world. However, some countries have ample amounts of quarries, and they have bigger fame in the marble industry. For example, Turkey, Italy, Spain, China, and India supply half of the world’s marble. Some other countries export marble to the world, such as the United States, Greece, Belgium…etc.
Where Does Marble Come From In The United States?
There are marble quarries in different parts of the U.S., like Vermont, Texas, and Georgia. Especially, the one in Vermont is the biggest quarry in the U.S.
According to stonenews.eu, the U.S. imports a great deal of marble from Turkey, China, Mexico and Italy to supply the demand in the country.
Why are Marble Surfaces Popular?
Marble surfaces are highly popular all around the world. You can see marble in various places ranging from ancient Greece to the Washington Monument in the U.S. It is also one of the most popular countertop materials indoors. The same material has been used for ages, and they are still standing soundly, so we can understand that durability is the key here.
When it comes to countertop and other indoor uses of marble, easy maintenance, elegant look, and easy access are some of the factors that make marble surfaces so popular.
What Colors Does Marble Come In
Composed of limestone, the marble should be a light-colored stone-like white or cream. However, some minerals that the majority of the marble rocks involve add second or third colors or patterns to the marble. Therefore, we can see black, yellow, gray, or pink colors in marbles due to the clay minerals or iron oxides.
How Durable is Marble?
Marble is a highly durable material. You can use it for a lifetime. Once it is installed properly, you can be sure that your countertop is heat resistant, easy to clean, and incredibly beautiful. If you are concerned about the scratches, you should seal them frequently since the marble surface is less resistant to scratches or cracks compared to other natural stones like granite or quartzite.
Where Does Calacatta Marble Come From?
Although marble is classy and beautiful in all sorts, some marble types are quite more valuable than others. Calacatta marble is one of a kind marble with exceptionally intricate veins. The background is so white, and the veins are much more clear than other marble stones.
Calacatta marble is quarried in the Carrara region in Italy. Since the supply is very limited due to the more challenging quarrying conditions, it is rare, and the price of a Calacatta marble is higher than others.
Bottom Line
Marble is one of the most functional materials that human beings hold. It is part of our history, our present, and most probably our future. We know many things about it, yet there are still things to know about this amazing natural stone.
