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Marble and Granite

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LECTURE FOR UNDERGRADUATE
STUDENTS

MARBLE AND GRANITE

Dr. Osama Shaltami

Department of Earth Sciences
Faculty of Science, Benghazi University, Libya
 What is Marble?
• Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of
recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly
calcite and dolomite.
• The word marble is derived from the Greek word
marmaron which means crystalline rock or shinning
stone.
• The marble rock is typically composed of an
interlocking mosaic of carbonate crystals.
• Marble is a type of metamorphic rock that has rich
veining and is available in a variety of colors. Marble is
more porous than granite and is not recommended for
kitchen flooring unless honed and then sealed on a
regular basis.
What is Marble?
Marble is a
crystalline,
compact variety of
metamorphosed
limestone,
consisting
primarily of calcite
and dolomite or a
combination of
both minerals.
 HISTORY
• The use of marble in architecture dates back thousands
of years to ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian
cultures. Capable of bearing immense weight, marble
was ideally suited for monolithic columns and
supporting structures in public, private, and religious
buildings.
• Marble, a long lasting and beautiful stone, was used
from early times by the ancient Greeks, who were
masters of the worlds finest architecture, stone-cutting
and sculpturing. They created exquisitely detailed
statues and buildings which have lasted through the
ages. For example, The Parthenon, built in 441-437 BC
of solid Pentelicon marble, is a well known symbol of
ancient Greek civilization.
HOW ARE MARBLE ROCKS
FORMED?
 Marble is formed when limestone is exposed to high
temperatures and pressures.

 During metamorphism the calcite limestone recrystallizes,

forming the interlocking calcite crystals that make up the
marble.

 Marbles formed from pure calcite lime stones are white,

with a sugary texture, and they effervesce when tested
with dilute (~10%) hydrochloric acid.

 Impurities in the limestone may lead to the formation of

new minerals, giving the marble a variety of colors.
 CHARACTERISTICS
• Texture - granular.
Grain size - medium grained; can see interlocking
calcite crystals with the naked eye.
Hardness - hard, although component mineral is soft
(calcite is 3 on Moh's scale of hardness).
Colour - variable - pure marble is white but marble
exists in a wide variety of colours all the way through
to black .
Mineralogy - calcite.
Other features - generally gritty to touch.
Uses - building stone; dimension stone for building
facings, paving etc; cut into blocks and cut for
monuments, headstones etc (wears over time due to
softness of calcite, prone to acid rain damage [calcite is
soluble in acid]); whiting material in toothpaste, paint
and paper.
 Production
• Where is Marble found in the world?
• Marble is a metamorphic rock found in the mountainous
regions of most countries of the world. Marble quarried
in India, China, Italy, and Spain represents the majority of
marble, in terms of volume, that is utilized worldwide.
• The growth of marble was just 12% annually in the period
of 2000-2006.
• Marble production is dominated by 4 countries that occupy
half of world production of marble and decorative stone.
• ITALY is the world leader in marble production, with 20%
share in global marble production. CHINA with 16% of
world production. INDIA is third ranking with 10% of world
production, followed by SPAIN in fourth ranking position
with 6% of world production.
 Uses
• Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative
Aggregates, Entryways, Floor
Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior
Decoration, Kitchens and Stair Treads,
• Cemetery Markers, Commemorative
Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Laboratory
bench tops, Paper Industry, Tombstones, Whiting
material in toothpaste, paint and paper,
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture and Small
Figurines.
• As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden
Decoration, Office Buildings and Paving Stone
 ADVANTAGES
• Design and patterns
• Cheaper
• Soft, easy to cut
• Can not be duplicated
• Beauty, aesthetic
• extremely durable, it can withstand any sort of external pressure, and any
sudden change of weight can easily be handled by this material.
• Marbles have an everlasting appeal. It does not get older very easily
• Marble floors are scratch free
• The cool and hard rock, marble is considered as a sign of luxury and
aristocracy
• durability and beauty
• bright look
• Marble is stainless and scratch free. The freshness of marble surface can
be retained for years.
• does not allow germs and allergens to survive on the surface.
• if maintained properly, then marble can last for an entire lifetime.
• Because the flooring is resistant to moisture, cleaning up spills on marble
is a simple task.
 DISADVANTAGES
• There is enormous amount of waste generated in cutting the
marble tiles.
• Inserting marbles in floors is very much time consuming, and it
would require only skilled technicians and laborers, which is
something that requires a lot of money.
• Marble floors are known to be extremely heavy.
• Marble is a heavy stone. Someone who wants to install marble floor
should prepare the floor accordingly so that it can bear the weight
of marble tiles.
• marble is not stain-proof; any spills should be dealt with as quickly
as possible.
• High maintenance is neede.
• Marble is a very cold material, making it uncomfortable to stand on
during colder times.
• No fragile material that falls on marble will survive, so marble is not
ideal for kitchens where glass might be dropped.
• Marble is weak to acidic products, such as tomatoes, vinegar and
lemon. Acidic materials will most certainly stain marble.
 CONSTRUCTION MARBLE
• Marble used for constructing buildings in
which construction marble is a stone which is
composed of calcite, dolomite and serpentine
capable of taking polish.
• Countertops and flooring
 Marble Structures
 It is used in buildings, masjids and homes.
 It is also used in statues and monuments.
 It create large number of jobs.
 Taj Mahal
 Parthenon in greece
 Model of Temple of Artemis in Istanbul,
Turkey
• Washington monument
• Supreme court Building Washington
 Differences
MARBLE
• Marble has a look that is
possibly more elegant.
• Marble is simply calcium
carbonate, just like chalk,
but in a compressed and
crystallized form.
• Marble has extremely fine
crystals, which create a
snowy or satiny look and
the colors and patterns can
be quite dramatic.
GARNITE
• Granite is a much harder,
stronger stone than marble.
• It resists impacts and
scratches better.
• Granite comes in a range of
colors and patterns, that
range is probably narrower
than for marble.
 Granite
• Granite a very hard, granular, crystalline,
igneous rock consisting mainly of quartz,
mica, and feldspar and often used as a
building stone.
• Word Granite comes from the Latin word
“Granum” a grain in reference to grainy.
• The word Granite maybe used for any rock
with interlocking crystals that are large
enough to be seen with unaided eye.
• Granite is a type of igneous rock that is very
dense and hard. Its distinctive appearance is
due to speckled minerals found within the
rock, its unique veining, and the thousands
of available colors.
 HOW ARE GRANITE ROCKS
FORMED?
 Granite is an igneous rock, normally found deep in the earth’s
crust and made of crystals formed from the cooling of molten
magma.

 It is sometimes exposed at the surface (extrusive) where the

sedimentary rock, such as sandstone, has been eroded away.

 However, it can be formed by magma cooling underground

after being intruded into other rocks before reaching the
surface.
 Formation
• Granite is formed when magma, with a certain silica
content, migrates into an environment where it cools
slowly ( by geologic time standards) solidifying and forming
interlocking crystals. The general rule is that the slower the
granite cools the larger the individual crystals, the faster it
cools the smaller the crystals. The predominate (common)
minerals are Quartz, Feldspars and Mica
• Granite is formed within the crust of the Earth
when Felsic magma, that is magma that is rich in Silica,
cools down without reaching the surface. Because it
remains beneath the surface as it is cooling it forms large
crystals (ie, you can see the individual crystals without need
of a microscope or hand-lens). It has a minimum of
20% Quartz with up to 65% of the rock being Feldspar.
Other minerals such as Mica or Amphibole are usually
present and can make up to 25% of the total volume.
 Origin
Granite is an igneous rock and is formed from
magma. Granitic magma has many potential origins
but it must intrude other rocks. Most granite
intrusions are emplaced at depth within the crust,
usually greater than 1.5 kilometers and up to 50 km
depth within thick continental crust. The origin of
granite is contentious and has led to varied schemes
of classification. Classification schemes are regional
and include French, British, and American systems.
 Granite features
There are two main features found in granite
landscapes
1. Tor 2. Batholiths
A large outcrop of granite,
usually seen as a number of A very large body of an igneous rock,
round boulders usually granite, that has been exposed
by erosion of the overlying rock
• Stone Mountain, Georgia;
• Yosemite Valley, California,
• Mount Rushmore, South Dakota;
• Pike's Peak, Colorado;
• and White Mountains, New Hampshire.
 Where is granite found in the world?
• Much of the earth's continental crust is made
of granite and it forms the cores of the
continents. In North America, the landscape
surrounding Canada's Hudson Bay and
extending south to Minnesota consists of
granite bedrock. Those rocks are part of the
Canadian Shield, the oldest rocks on the
continent.
 Advantages of Granite
Granite is an attractive and beautiful material
that appears to the user, when it is used by
them for countertop or any other application.
advantages of granite
The most common use
for granite today is in
building and remodeling
projects such as vanity
and kitchen countertops.
Importance and Use of granite

The Statue
of Liberty
stands on is
made from
granite.
 Granite structures
• The Red Pyramid, third largest Egyptian
pyramids, of Ancient Egypt (c. 26th century
BC) was made by granite.
• The Gread Pyramid of Giza (c. 2580 BC)
 Granite as a construction material
• Building material
• Tiles
• Backsplash
• Countertop
• Paving stone
• Facing stone
• Monuments
• Vanity tops
• Sink and basin
• Fireplace mantles

• Granite is one of the most popular building material.

• It has been used for thousands of years in both interior and exterior
applications.
• Rough-cut and polished granite is used in buildings, bridges, paving,
monuments and many other exterior projects.
• Indoors, polished granite slabs and tiles are used in countertops, tile
floors, stair treads and many other practical and decorative features.
 Use of Granite in Interior
• In the Interior Polished Granite slabs and tiles are also used as
countertops, floors, stair treads and many other design elements.
• Granite is hard and tough that is why it has gained wide spread use
in human history.
• There are many uses for Granite within both functional and
aesthetic design attributes. Granite is a tough material with a visual
impact including Cladding, Worktops, Flooring, Vanity Units, Tables,
Kitchen Surfaces, and Flooring Tiles.
• Granite can be used in many applications including Granite Bar tops,
Granite Cladding, Granite Counters, Granite Flooring, Granite
Kitchen Surfaces, Granite Kitchen Tops, Granite Sills, Granite Skirting,
Granite Splash backs, Granite Surfaces, Granite Tiles, Granite Tops,
Granite Vanity Tops, Granite Window Sills, Granite Work surfaces,
Granite Worktops
 ADVANTAGES
• Granite is available in thousands of colours.
• Granite is nearly impervious and, once it is polished, resists
scratching.
• It is an excellent choice for flooring in kitchens and high-
traffic areas.
• Every slab is unique and cannot be duplicated.
• • Granite requires very little maintenance -- just routine
cleaning.
• • By its nature, granite is extremely dense and excellent for
repelling stains.
• • Granite is heat resistant unlike many man-made
materials.
• very dense and hard. In fact, granite is second only to
diamonds in its hardness.
• it is resistant to blistering, scratching, cracking and
scorching
• Polished granite, with its high gloss, reflects light
beautifully, adding elegance to any room or space. The
high gloss finish will never wear off. Granite is easy to
clean with just warm water and soft cloth.
• Sanitary (Non-Porous)
• Minimal absorption
• Durable
• It has allergen-resistant properties.
• Almost scratch proof
• The colour of your granite countertop will never fade
• Hard, cannot be broken easily
 DISADVANTAGES
• Hard
• Cold in winter
• Hard underfoot
• Heavy
• Polished Granite Slippery when wet
• Slippery with socks
• • It should be cleaned on a regular basis.
• Should be installed by professionals
 Mountains
• Granite Mountain (Arizona)
• Granite Mountain Washington
• Granite Mountain Utah
 Thanks
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