Marble is a popular luxury building material, loved by design professionals and the general public for centuries. In our Xiamen Aofei Building Materials blog, we often talk about marble trends, applications, pros and cons, and many more related things. But we, and many other suppliers, rarely bring up the topic of what is actually inside your marble and what makes it so unique? Some would think it’s a boring and hard-to-understand topic. But we believe that it is important to know what the stone you are choosing for your house or project is made of. So, for all stone lovers out there, in today’s article, we will walk you through the “insides” of marble and how these features benefit your design.

First, marble is a metamorphic rock, meaning it is produced in a process of recrystallization, by heat and pressure in the Earth’s crust from Dolomite or Limestone. Thus the way marble looks depends on the features and impurities limestone had before the recrystallization.

This also explains why types of marble from different parts of the world have different looks and chemical compositions. Typically, though, marble has these major components: Silica (SiO2), Alumina (Al2O3), Lime (CaO), Carbonates (MgCO3) and Oxides (Na and Mg). Some mineral impurities are often present as well. Some of the most common ones are Talc, Chert, Garnet, and Forsterite.

For instance, pure white types of marble would come from very pure dolomite or limestone protolith with almost no silicate. A good example is Snow White marble from China.

If various mineral impurities such as sand, iron oxides, slit, or clay come in play, the marble gets the unique swirls and veins in its patterns. Famous Italian Carrara Vein marble is one of the most famous examples.

Gorgeous green colors in marble appear due to magnesium-rich limestone or dolomite, often with silica. For instance, Dark Green marble from India.

Are you ready to make your project perfect with our natural stone? Call us today and Xiamen Aofei Building Materials professionals will walk you through all the possible options just for you!