How do you recognize limestone and marble? [USGS]

How do you recognize limestone and marble?

The main difference between limestone and marble is that limestone is a sedimentary rock, typically composed of calcium carbonate fossils, and marble is a metamorphic rock. Limestone forms when shells, sand, and mud are deposited at the bottom of oceans and lakes and over time solidify into rock. Marble forms when sedimentary limestone is heated and squeezed by natural rock-forming processes so that the grains recrystallize. If you look closely at a limestone, you can usually see fossil fragments (for example, bits of shell) held together by a calcite matrix. Limestone is more porous than marble, because there are small openings between the fossil fragments. Marble is usually light colored and is composed of crystals of calcite locked together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Marble may contain colored streaks that are inclusions of non-calcite minerals.

Limestone Marble

Limestone is made of fossil fragments, held together with calcite; the shell near the center is about 1 cm across. Botanic Gardens building Washington, D.C. Marble is made of calcite crystals (white) and some colored grains of mica inclusions; the grains in a marble are locked together like jigsaw puzzle pieces.

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Limestone is made of fossil fragments, held together with calcite; the shell near the center is about 1 cm across. Botanic Gardens building Washington, D.C.	Marble is made of calcite crystals (white) and some colored grains of mica inclusions; the grains in a marble are locked together like jigsaw puzzle pieces.