Yellow marble is a metamorphic rock composed primarily of recrystallized calcite colored by impurities like iron oxides or organic matter. It typically exhibits a dense, crystalline texture that can take a high polish and is commonly used for interior cladding or small lapidary projects.
Is this yellow 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 yellow marble with a known reference. Yellow 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. Yellow Marble leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Yellow Marble typically shows a subvitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, golden, cream.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Yellow Marble vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads subvitreous on Yellow Marble and vitreous on Calcite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads subvitreous on Yellow Marble and vitreous on Mexican Onyx.
How to tell apart: Luster reads subvitreous on Yellow Marble and vitreous on Dolomite.
Often found alongside yellow marble
Minerals reported to co-occur with yellow 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 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Subvitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- Perfect Rhombohedral
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Decorative, Lapidary, Architecture, Collector
- Host rock
- Metamorphosed Limestone
- Typical price
- $5-20 per specimen
Where rockhounds find yellow marble
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Italy
- Greece
- USA
- Turkey
- Spain
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphosed limestone country, the host setting where yellow 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. Start trip planning there.
More yellow marble photos
Common questions
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Find yellow marble on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
