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.
- 2Read the textureLook at a fresh break with a hand lens. Texture: Crystalline; typically not foliated.
- 3Pick out the mineralsComposition: Recrystallized calcite or dolomite; color and veining come from impurities in the original rock. Identify the two or three most abundant grains.
- 4Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: subvitreous.
- 5Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, golden, cream.
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; pearly on cleavages and {0001} on Calcite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads subvitreous on Yellow Marble and vitreous on Calcite Onyx.
How to tell apart: Luster reads subvitreous on Yellow Marble and vitreous to pearly 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
- Luster
- Subvitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Decorative, Lapidary, Architecture, Collector
- Host rock
- metamorphosed limestone
- Texture
- Crystalline; typically not foliated
- Composition
- Recrystallized calcite or dolomite; color and veining come from impurities in the original rock
Where rockhounds find yellow marble
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Italy
- Greece
- USA
- Turkey
- Spain
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: metamorphosed limestone. If you start seeing calcite, dolomite, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. 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.
