Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that represents the final stage of a profound geological transformation. It begins its lifecycle as sedimentary limestone or dolostone, which is then subjected to the intense heat and lithostatic pressure of tectonic forces deep within the Earth’s crust.

The Metamorphic Process: “Recrystallization”

The transformation from limestone to marble is characterized by a process called recrystallization. Under temperatures often exceeding  600 C, the original carbonate minerals (calcite or dolomite) and any fossil remains break down and reform into a dense, interlocking mosaic of larger, equidimensional crystals.