Natural marbles were formed when fairly pure limestone or dolomite rock got metamorphosed, while limestone and dolomite are wide spread sedimentary rocks that were originated in the ocean environment. When a major tectonic event occurred as a result of the magma movement in an area where limestone or dolomite rocks were deeply buried, the nearby heat, ranging from 900 to 1500 degrees, was sufficient to change the physical makeup of the carbonate rock. Consequently, heat and pressure cause the grains of calcite in limestone or dolomite in dolomite rock to combine into larger crystals. The transformed rock is called natural Marble. Crystal sizes of natural marbles vary, but in general only marbles with small or fine crystals can be used for buildings and carving applications. Marble is abundant in many parts of the world, such as Italy, Norway, China and India.
