Marble Vs Alabaster Hardness

The hardness of stones and minerals measured by the stones or materials that can scratch others is one of the methods used in material sciences to determine the relative hardness of stones such as alabaster and marble.

Marble vs alabaster hardness. The following is an identification guide to several standard types of stone used in sculptures carving building construction and similar. Alabaster a fine grain form of gypsum calcium sulfate dihydrate is a sedimentary rock made of tiny crystals visible only under magnification. It is composed primarily of the mineral calcite caco 3 and usually contains other minerals such as clay minerals micas quartz pyrite iron oxides and graphite under the conditions of metamorphism the calcite in the limestone recrystallizes to form a rock that is. Archaeologists and the stone processing industry use the word differently from geologists the former use it in a wider sense that includes varieties of two different minerals.

This means that processing marble blocks are more expensive and there is the higher chance of production losses. Marble marble is a high end stone used to make everything from michelangelo sculptures to mansion steps and walls for mansions. The types covered are marble granite sandstone limestone alabaster and soapstone. As a result marble is less porous and slightly stronger than limestone but still less durable than granite.

Marble is limestone that has been compacted and heated over millions of years. The fine grained massive type of gypsum and the fine grained banded type of calcite. Marble is harder and more fragile at the same time. Because granite is between a 6 and 7 on the mohs scale it would be able to scratch other types of stone that have lower ratings such as marble.

All these factors result in higher consumer price for marble sometimes. Moreover calcite alabaster being a carbonate effervesces when treated with hydrochloric acid while gypsum alabaster remains almost unaffected. Mohs hardness scale developed by german geologist frederick mohs in 1812 rates alabaster and gypsum at 2. Marble is a metamorphic rock that forms when limestone is subjected to the heat and pressure of metamorphism.

Alabaster is a mineral or rock that is soft often used for carving and is processed for plaster powder. Depending on the limestone and the mineral combination within the marble most marble rates from three to five on the mohs hardness scale. An example of the hardness of a granite countertop can be seen in the fact that a knife blade will not scratch the surface. Drop a dot of lemon juice or vinegar on the stone in question.

The mohs hardness of a knife blade is 5 5 which will scratch marble and leave jade unmarked. Also in order to prevent breakages special treatment is used at the back of the tile. Mohs hardness 1 5 to 2 while calcite cannot be scratched in this way mohs hardness 3 although it yields to a knife.