MARBLE

The word "marble" derives from the Greek word (mrmaron),Which means "crystalline rock",
OR "shining stone",

Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly

calcite or dolomite.

Marble is commonly used for handicrafts and as a building material.

Figure: A piece of pink Marble about four inches ten cm across. The pink colour is most likely
derived from iron.

Marble Formation:
Most marble forms at convergent plate boundaries where large areas of Earth's crust are exposed
to regional metamorphism. Some marble also forms by contact metamorphism when a hot
magma body heats adjacent limestone or dolostone. Before metamorphism, the calcite in the
limestone is often in the form of lithified fossil material and biological debris. During
metamorphism, this calcite recrystallizes and the texture of the rock changes. In the early stages
of the limestone to marble transformation the calcite crystals in the rock are very small. In a
freshly-broken hand specimen they might only be recognized as a sugary sparkle of light
reflecting from their tiny cleavage faces when the rock is played in the light. As metamorphism
progresses the crystals grow larger and become easily recognizable as interlocking crystals of
calcite. Recrystallization obscures the original fossils and sedimentary structures of the
limestone. It also occurs without forming foliation which normally is found in rocks that are
altered by the directed pressure of a convergent plate boundary.
Recrystallization is what marks the separation between limestone and marble. Marble that has
been exposed to low levels of metamorphism will have very small calcite crystals. The crystals
become larger as the level of metamorphism progresses. Clay minerals within the marble will
alter to micas and more complex silicate structures as the level of metamorphism increases.

Physical Properties of Marble:

Marble occurs in large deposits that can be hundreds of feet thick and geographically extensive.
This allows it to be economically mined on a large scale with some mines and quarries producing
millions of tons per year.

Colour: Marble is usually a light-coloured rock. When it is formed from a limestone with
very few impurities it will be white in colour. Marble that contains impurities such as clay
minerals, iron oxides or bituminous material can be bluish, grey, pink, yellow or black in colour.
Marble of extremely high purity with a bright white color is very useful. It is often mined,
crushed to a powder and then processed to remove as many impurities as possible. The resulting
product is called "whiting". This powder is used as a coloring agent and filler in paint,
whitewash, putty, plastic, grout, cosmetics, paper and other manufactured products.

Acid Reaction: Being composed of calcium carbonate, marble will react in contact with
many acids, neutralizing the acid. It is one of the most effective acid neutralization materials.
Marble is often crushed and used for acid neutralization in streams, lakes and soils. It is used for
acid neutralization in the chemical industry. A pharmaceutical product known as "Tums" is a
small calcium carbonate pill, sometimes made from powdered marble that is used by people who
suffer from acid reflux or acid indigestion. Powdered marble is used as inert filler in other pills.

Hardness: Being composed of calcite, marble has a hardness of three on the Mohs hardness
scale. As a result, marble is easy to carve and that makes it useful for producing sculptures and
ornamental objects. The translucence of marble makes it especially attractive for many types of
sculptures. The low hardness and solubility of marble allows it to be used as a calcium additive
in animal feeds. Calcium additives are especially important for dairy cows and egg producing
chickens. It is also used as a low hardness abrasive for scrubbing bathroom and kitchen fixtures.

Ability to Accept a Polish:

After being sanded with progressively finer abrasives, marble can be polished to a high lustre.
This allows attractive pieces of marble to be cut, polished and used as floor tiles, architectural
panels, facing stone, window sills, stair treads, columns and many other pieces of decorative
stone.

Chemical Properties of Marble:

 Chemically, they are crystalline rocks composed predominantly of calcite, dolomite or
serpentine minerals. The other minor constituents vary from origin to origin.

Lime (CaO) 28-32%

Silica (SiO2) 3-30% (varies with variety)
MgO 20 to 25%
FeO + Fe2O3 1-3%
Loss On Ignition (LOI) 20-45%

Textures of Marbles:
Marbles show variety of textures on account of existing minerals & recrystallization patterns.
Texture depends upon form, size, and uniformity of grain arrangements. Marbles can be
classified on the basis of the following factors:

Calcite Marble - Mostly CaCo3; MgCo3<0.50%

Dolomite Marble - Having > 40% MgCo3.
Magnesium Marble - MgCo3 between 5 to 40%.
Serpentine Marble - remobilised marble due to the effect of Thermodynamic
metamorphic wherein serpentine is prominent.
Onyx Marble - Lime carbonate deposition on account of cold water solution activity.

Historical Overview:
In Pakistan, this industry started to develop in the last 60s without any quality consideration. At
that time, most of processing equipment was locally made at Gujranwala and Lahore. In mid-
70s, few plants were imported from Italy, but were 2nd generation plants and had no quality
consideration. Pakistan, the sixth, largest country in the world in terms of the resident population
and a land of rich natural resources, is a growing country showing great potential and promise in
its dimension stone sector, especially in marble. Pakistan is well known for its finest and purest
grades of marble found in the world.

Standard wastage in the world is 45 percent for the marble sector. Pakistan has a 1 percent share
in the world market. Pakistan substantially exports marble slabs and tiles to Saudi Arabia. China
is the largest importer of Pakistani marble and granite in raw form. The blocks of marbles
imported by China are processed, value-added and exported to different countries in the world at
higher prices. Due to very scarce facility for value addition in the country, Pakistan is losing
substantial foreign exchange through raw marble.

Pakistani marble exporters reduced their exports to the US and Europe by almost 60 percent after
the financial crisis hit the two markets in 2008. Investors from Italy and European countries as
well as the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Korea and China have shown enthusiastic interest in
local marble and in establishing joint ventures with Pakistani marble exporters but have been
demoralized by rising terrorism and deteriorating law and order situation. In Pakistan, during
blasting about 80 percent marble is wasted and only 20 percent is used. PASDEC wants to
introduce new machineries with the collaboration of mines owners for maximum production and
collection of marble in big size.

However, in 2006 the Pakistan Stone Development Company was set up which imported state-
of-the-art machinery for the extraction of square blocks of stones to reduce the losses to 45 per
cent from the colossal 80 percent.

Pakistan has major deposits of high quality marble in a wide range of colors, shades and patterns.
Marble is used for both construction purposes and Handicrafts manufacturing.

Pakistan has 64 types of marbles, which is more than its competitors India and China. Around 80
types of marble are available in Baluchistan. Baluchistan has a fine quality stones as comparable
to the standard of stones found in Italy.

Foreign tourists are the main customers of the products made of marble and onyx. Mining and
quarrying subsector contributes 14.45% share of the industrial sector and 3.0 percent to the GDP
of the country. As per the data published by Pakistan Bureau of statistics 2013-2014, the Mining
and quarrying sector is estimated to grow at 4.4 percent in 2013-14 against the 3.8 percent
growth achieved last year. Marble exports from Pakistan are hovering around average $33
million in recent years. According to the industry experts, export potential in this sector is up to
$300 million and even more if sustained efforts are made in future.
 Marble Export Of World In Million Tons (1 Year)

China
Pakistan 10 18
9
India 1
Turkey 12 11
Iran
8
Portugal 15
16
Italy
Brazil
Spain

1. China was the main marble producing country in the world with 18 million tons of
marble production per annum,
2. Iran was the second country having marble production of 16 million tons per year
3. Italy 12 million tons per year.
4. India 11 million tons per year.
5. Spain 10 million tons per year.
6. Brazil 9 million tons per year
7. Turkey 8 million tons per year.
8. Portugal 15 million tons per year.
9. Pakistan production was only 1million tons per annum.

APPLICATIONS OF MARBLE:
Industrial use:
1- Blocks of cut Marble:

Colourless or light-coloured marbles are a very pure source of calcium carbonate, which is
used in a wide variety of industries. Finely ground marble or calcium carbonate powder is a
component in paper, and in consumer products such as toothpaste, plastics, and carbonate can
be made from limestone, chalk, and marble; about three-quarters of the ground calcium
carbonate worldwide is made from marble. Ground calcium carbonate is used as a coating
pigment for paper because of its high brightness and as a paper filler because it strengthens
the sheet and imparts high brightness.

2- Consumer products:

Consumer products such as a food additive, in toothpaste, and as inert filler in pills. It is used
in plastics because it imparts stiffness, impact strength, dimensional stability, and thermal
conductivity. It is used in paints because it is good filler and extender, has high brightness,
and is weather resistant. However, the growth in demand for ground calcium carbonate in
the last decade has mostly been for a coating pigment in paper Calcium carbonate can also be
reduced under high heat to calcium oxide (also known as "lime"), which has many
applications including being a primary component of many forms of cement.

3- Production Sculpture:

White marble has been prized for its use in sculptures since classical times. This preference
has to do with its softness, relative isotropy and homogeneity, and a relative resistance to
shattering. Also, the low index of refraction of calcite allows light to penetrate several
millimetres into the stone before being scattered out, resulting in the characteristic waxy
look which gives "life" to marble sculptures of the human body.

Figure: Marble Use in Arts

4- Construction marble:

Construction marble is a stone which is composed of calcite, dolomite or serpentine which is

capable of taking a polish. 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
fossil ferrous grey to pink to maroon Ordovician limestone that Geologists call the Holston
Formation. According to the United States Geological Survey, U.S. dimension 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.

5- Artificial Marble:

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. Ancient Marble columns in the prayers Hall of the
mosque of Uqba in Kairouan, Tunisia. As the favourite medium for Greek and Roman
sculptors and architects, marble has become a cultural symbol of tradition and refined taste.
Its extremely varied and colourful patterns make it a favourite decorative material, and it is
often imitated in background patterns for computer displays, etc. Places named after the
stone include Marblehead, Ohio; Marble Arch, London; the Sea of Marmara; India's Marble
Rocks; and the towns of Minnesota; Marble; and Marble 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.

Figure: QUAID-E-AZAM TOMB

Figure : Taj Mahal Figure: Badshahi Mosque
Marble Occurrence in Pakistan:
There are over 70 types of natural color marble and granite currently, says a statement issued by
the Ministry of Industries. It said more than 1,225 Quarries and 2,000 Processing Units were
operational in Pakistan.

Figure: Karakorum Marble Peak in North of Pakistan

Marble Reserves:
Not specifically measured, however Marble& Onyx more than 300 billion tons (till 2007) of
reserves are estimated.

Location Where Marble Deposits Are Present:

Pakistan exports marble manufactured items to a large number of countries around the world. In
various parts of our country (such as Mohmand Agency, Chitral, Buner, Swat, Parachinar, Gilgit,
Hunza, Swabi, Bajour, Mardan, Wazirstan, Azad Kashmir, Lasbela, Chagai and Khuzdar) good quality
marble in a wide range of colours (such as White, Black, Green, Pink, Grey, Brown and Yellow
colours) is found. Marble similar to wood found in Baluchistan and locally known as Burmateak
is also very rare in the world. Onyx is found only in Baluchistan but Marble is found in the
northern NWFP North-West Frontier Province (northwest Pakistan) NWFP, Sindh and
Baluchistan. It is mostly exported in raw shape. Smaller sized Onyx boulders are used for
handicrafts.
Figure: Marble similar to wood found in Baluchistan and locally known as Burmateak

1. Peshawar Division Deposits:

Good quality marble of white and various other colours in found at two places:

a. Shahidmena area
b. Kumbela Knwar area.

2. Mardan District Deposits:

Best known deposits of marble, usually white and of uniform texture is found at two places:

a. Gundari Tarko
b. Maneri.

3. Nowshera Area Deposits:

Pink coloured marble of low quality is found in Nowshera area. Total reserves
amount to 3.8 million cubic ft.

4. Quetta Area deposits:

Large deposits of green, yellow and white marble are found in Quetta area. Total reserves
amount to 1,80,000 tonnes.

A few deposits also appear in

a. Chaghal district of Baluchistan and

b. Muzaffarabad areas of Azad Kashmir.
The reserves of green marble deposits are about 8.6 million cubic feet and reserves of other
qualities are estimating about 700 million tonnes.

Marble Production process:

Introduction:
A metamorphic rock with outstanding beauty and variety, marble has been an important
building material for several millennia. Thanks to the precision of modern technology, marble
has become increasingly accessible and affordable for consumers. Improvements in marble
manufacturing (marble "fabrication") include explosives, composite-tipped drills, diamond-
studded wire saws, super-fast saws, epoxy sealing and computer-controlled polishing.

Extraction:
During the extraction process, massive cube-like pieces of marble are cut out of the ground and
transported from the quarry. To minimize the risk of cracks, fissures and other aesthetic damage
to the stone, fabricators use a process known as "wire sawing" to gently separate the marble.
Two 3-inch wide holes are drilled perpendicularly to each other. Once the holes connect, a
heavy-duty wire embedded with artificial diamonds is fed through and secured to a flywheel,
forming a loop. A powerful engine applies massive torque to the flywheel, which circulates the
diamond-embedded wire at a very fast rate. Since diamond is much harder than the marble, the
friction quickly wears it away, leaving a smooth cut plane. After wearing all the way through,
another perpendicular hole is drilled and the process is repeated, cutting away the other vertical
plane. For the horizontal plane, the wire saw cuts about 80 percent of the marble away, leaving a
circle in the centre remaining. At this point, the wire is removed and a hydraulic excavator
machine forces a wedge into the horizontally-cut planes to break the vertical plane free. Finally,
a crane loads the piece onto a truck or rail car for a transport to the fabrication shop. In the
fabrication shop, the piece is loaded onto a platform with hydraulic lifts underneath. Above this
platform is the "gang saw," a row of dozens of 10 to 15 feet long steel saw blades connected to a
crankshaft via pistons. A giant engine turns the flywheel, which turns the crankshaft and moves
the saw blade back and forth horizontally at an incredibly high rate. Each saw blade is spaced
according to the desired thickness of the resulting slabs, usually 3 cm (although 2 cm is fairly
common as well). As the blades saw back and forth, the hydraulic lifts push the block up into
them, cutting the slabs. Once complete, two workers will gently tilt out each slab, attach a special
clamp to it and use a ceiling mounted winch to lift it into the finishing area.

Polishing and Sealing:

The slab is laid face down and a machine with a finely-graded, diamond-encrusted abrasive pad
grinds down the surface of the slab until it is smooth and vaguely reflective. A worker (or
machine, depending on the shop) then sprays on a uniform coat of epoxy sealer onto the surface
and leaves it to dry for 48 hours. Heat lamps can expedite this process. Once dry, the slab is
flipped over and the process repeated for the opposite side. Polished and sealed, the finished
slabs then ship out to retailers and distributors.

Figure: Polishing Of Marble with a Machine.

Water jet Cutting and wet sawing:

At the retailer's show room, slabs are displayed in giant, iron oxide-coated easels for
customers to view.

After choosing a slab(s), the customer gives the dimensions of his project (kitchen counters,
ballroom floor or bathroom) to the retailer, who maps the shapes onto the slab itself. To cut these
pieces out, fabricators traditionally used a process called "wet sawing" where circular saws
coated with tungsten carbide cut through the slab while continuous streams of water spray on the
blades to keep them from overheating.

Today, most fabricators use a technology called "water jet cutting" to cut pieces, make holes for
appliances and create bevelled edges. In waterjet cutting, water is pressurized to 60,000 psi and
allowed to shoot out in a concentrated stream. Traveling at 2.5 times the speed of sound, the
stream mixes mid-air with a powdered abrasive (e.g. aluminium oxide or garnet) before striking
the marble.The result is a precise hypererosion that can be used for two-dimensional and three-
dimensional applications alike.

Due to this degree of precision (in the micrometer range), a computer controls the entire cutting
process.

Overview of Mining and Quarrying sector in Pakistan

Problems:
1. Lack of proper machinery to produce quality production.

2. Lack of awareness and facilitation in selecting appropriate tools for different tools.

3. Untrained workers.

4. Nonexistence of quality control prices.

5. Poor raw material supply.

6. Lack of distribution channels including raw material and finished goods warehousing.

7. Incapability in supplying consistent product.

8. Ineffective marketing strategy.

Suggestions:
1. The government should form a committee of experts from among stake holders.This
committee should survey all the existing marble and granite miners and processing units
to identity common needs, problems generally faced by entrepreneurs, assistance required
 by them in various fields like technology, consultancy, marketing, human resource
development, etc.
2. The Committee of experts should form the guidelines for the miners and processor,
organize a skill and technology up-gradation programme for the benefit of mines
managers and prepare and distribute guidebooks for proper mining.
3. Government should make a policy.
4. They provide licenses to the firms, discovering marble reserves in previously unexplored
area.
5. Private sector should be motivated by giving incentives, security, etc. for making
investments.
6. Technology should be upgraded.
7. This sector needs better marketing campaign.

Conclusion:
God has bestowed Pakistan not only with large deposits but also with some of the best quality
marble deposits. But the stones industry has failed to exploit the real potential. Inspite of the size
of marble deposits and diversity of colour, Pakistan has lowest ranking in world market of
marble.

This sector needs to be organized on modern lines. The induction of modern technology in this
sector will increase efficiency of processing units. Improving the standard can only increase the
demand of Pakistani products in international market.

This sector has great potential to contribute to the national economic growth and for the
generation of employment mostly in the rural areas.

This sector also needs be organized scientifically with a consistent follow-up by the ministry of
industries and production to achieve the high export target.

If the sector is scientifically treated, it can generate more employment.

REFERENCES: