marble is considered a metamorphic limestone. It is largely grained and comes in many unique colors and patterns, and is formed from limestone by heat and pressure over the years in the earth's crust. These natural forces cause the limestone to change and vary in texture and appearance. This natural process is called recrystallization.

Materials fossilized in the limestone, along with its original minerals, recrystallize and form large, coarse grains of calcite. Pure white marble results from the metamorphism of pure limestones. The characteristic swirls and hues of many colored marble types are usually caused by various impurities such as clay, silt, sand, iron oxides, or chert which were originally present as grains or layers in the limestone. The green coloration is mostly due to serpentine resulting from originally high magnesium limestone or dolostone with silica impurities.

marbles vary in color from blurry, milky-white to gray and black, and some varieties have some shades of red, yellow, pink, green, or buff. The colors, which are mainly caused by the presence of a number impurities, are mostly arranged in bands or patches and add to the beauty of the stone when it is cut and polished. Like all limestones, it is corroded by water and acid fumes and is thus an uneconomical material for use in exposed places and in large cities. The presence of certain impurities decreases its durability. marble does not split easily into sheets or blocks of equal size and must be mined with care. The rock may shatter if explosives are used for mining. Blocks of marble are mined and extracted with channeling machines, which cut grooves and holes in the rock. Miners outline a block of marble with rows of grooves and holes. They then drive wedges into the openings and separate the block from the surrounding rock. The blocks are then cut with saws to the desired s!
hape and size of the block.

marble was commonly utilized by the ancient Iranians, Greeks, Indians and Chinese. Italian artist Michelangelo used marble from Carrara , Italy , in a number of sculptures and statues. marble is used in creating statues, buildings, tomb stones, floor tiles, sinks and countertops. It is soft and is easy to carve or cut into shapes, making it the preferable choice for making statues.

marble is mined in mountain areas using the quarrying method. It is found in Canada , Italy , Germany , Spain , India and China . marbles are mined, or quarried, in all parts of the world. The best stocks of marbles in the United States come from the state of Vermont, which extracts large quantities. Other states important as marble producers are Massachusetts, Maryland , Tennessee , Alabama , Georgia , Missouri , California , Colorado , and Arizona. See alabaster.

marble could be found almost anywhere in the world. Most marbles are named after the quarries where they are historically found. Some of the more famous quarry locations are listed below.

> Black marble from Kilkenny, Ireland
> Macael from Spain
> Makrana from India
> Vietnam White from Vietnam
> Llano Pink from Central Texas
> Boticena and Onyx(Green) from Pakistan
> Danby from Vermont
> Yule from Colorado
> Royal White from China
> Beijing White from China
> Durango marble from Coyote Quarry , Mexico