Pink marble is a metamorphic rock formed by the recrystallization of limestone containing trace amounts of iron oxide or manganese. It is commonly found as massive, granular blocks and is highly valued for carving and decorative stonework due to its soft, aesthetic pastel coloration.
Is this pink marble?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch pink marble with a known reference. Pink Marble sits at Mohs 3-4 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Pink Marble leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Pink Marble typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, rose, white.
- 5Look at form & habitTypical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Pink Marble vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside pink marble
Minerals reported to co-occur with pink marble. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Mohs hardness
- 3-4
- Density
- 2.7-2.8 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Decorative, Lapidary, Building Material, Sculpture
- Host rock
- Metamorphic Terrains
- Typical price
- $5-50 for hand specimens/polished slabs
Where rockhounds find pink marble
2 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Italy
- Greece
- Portugal
- USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphic terrains country — that is the host setting where pink marble typically forms. If you start seeing calcite, dolomite, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Kentucky, Maryland — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find pink marble on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
