Understanding The Sustainability of Marble
April 11, 2023 AdminWhen deciding which stones are suitable for use in construction, marble consistently ranks among the finest. Understand why? Its unique beauty provides it an edge over other natural stones in the marketplace. And although its aesthetic appeal is undeniable, its practical qualities are equally on par. This may be the reason why marble is used to construct many monuments across the world.
According to one of the leading marble exporters in India, “Marble is one such adaptable material that is extensively utilized across the world in a variety of applications, including the façade of buildings, restrooms, floors, wall claddings, monuments, statues, and others. It is actually quite easy to maintain. This is marble’s novel residence because it was found in nature.”
Its popularity as a building material can be attributed to a variety of factors. While several factors contribute to marble’s increased appeal, one additional factor is its sustainability. Let’s examine some of the premises supporting this logic.
The Formation of Marble
As a result of a combination of rocks metamorphosing under extreme pressure and heat, marble is a metamorphic rock. Calcite, dolomite, limestone, and serpentine make up these rocks. Marble’s main component is calcium carbonate, which also contains an acidic oxide. The marble takes hundreds of years to make and is found in the world’s most remote regions.
Although marble has distinct crystals that give it a recognisable granular texture and appearance, there are various other characteristics that may be used to categorise the rock.
Even though calcite makes up the majority of marble’s composition, it is nevertheless regarded as a solid, hard natural stone. It is three Moh’s hardness. It should be remembered that marble can be damaged by a metal blade.
Typically, marble is observed to have a pale colour. White marble is of the highest grade. It’s possible that the marble that contains a lot of bituminous material is black in colour. Brown, black, white, green, pink, blue, and golden are one of the most widely exported marble colors by marble exporters.
Applications
Due to the way it forms, marble is frequently found in vast amounts all over the world. This wonderful, common rock may be mined widely for a low cost.
Marble is often utilised in the building industry. For the construction of highways, building foundations and railway beds, crushed marble is employed. Marble is divided into blocks or sheets to produce dimension stone. For the preparation of structures, paving stones, sculptures, and monuments, dimension stone is employed. White marble was used to construct the famous Taj Mahal. Due of its susceptibility to acid and weathering, marble is prone to deterioration over time.
“Whiting,” a byproduct that is commonly used as a brightener and dye, is created by crushing white marble. Along with limestone, powdered marble can be used as a calcium supplement for cattle. In the chemical industry, crushed marble is used as a pill stopper, an acid buffer, and to repair acid damage to soil and water.
Heat is applied to marble to remove carbon dioxide while separating calcium oxide or lime. In agriculture, lime is used to lessen the acidity of the soil.
Stains, Scratches, and Etching
When picking marble for a project, the majority of people wonder “isn’t it actually soft, and won’t it stain?” Yes, it does have a propensity to scratch, but if sealing is done properly, staining won’t be an issue. Every marble installation requires the use of saturating sealers, which will preserve the marble’s surface free of stains. Additionally, the sealers won’t change the marble’s overall look since they fill up all the surface pores as they sink into the stone’s surface. The marble surface, whether polished or honed, will continue to look exactly the same after sealing as it did before sealing.
The marble surface has a tendency to scrape when damaged. Although certain marbles are reported to be softer than others, all marbles are generally easy to scratch. However, because marble maintains its beauty across its many layers, scratches are not visible until they are wedged at the ideal angle or until you specifically look for them.
Enhanced Durability
It is important to keep in mind that marble has been used for many purposes over the years. Even though granite has now taken over, marble is still favoured over granite in many places. Amazing white marble is used in some of the world’s most beautiful structures. The Taj Mahal, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, as well as several more landmarks, are just a few examples. Using marble for a home or commercial project is a sensible choice if all of these structures can withstand the wear and tear of thousands of years of intense weathering and the footfall of millions of tourists! Marble is therefore not for everyone, but experts believe it to be the greatest option for people seeking a remarkable result that will never go out of style or stop influencing others.
How sustainable is marble
Because marble is a natural stone, it is seen as environmentally benign. Since marble exists naturally, producing it doesn’t require any permission, which prevents pollution and conserves energy.
Manufacturing Isn’t Needed for Marbles
Marble does not require any mechanical assistance during the formation process, but it does demand labour during the harvesting process, avoiding the need for the use of machines that release gases and harm the environment.
Marble may be recycled.
The nicest thing about marble is that it can be recycled because it is a natural stone in the future. There won’t be a need to organise outdated items because these recycled marble fragments may be utilised to create tiles and other items. This potential of marble to be able to be recycled makes it a lot eco-friendlier and more effective for use.
Marble is resilient.
When considering home items, durability is an important factor, and marble may help you out in this situation. Since marble is a natural stone, it has exceptional resilience and can survive rain, wind, fire, and even heat when used in building construction.
Affordable Marble
Marble is quite affordable, which is great for the environment. Since most people can afford to use it, fewer manufactured goods will be produced that will have an adverse impact on the environment while they are being produced. Since marble is a natural stone, it may be removed without any assistance from machinery.
