Marble is formed from limestone. The heat and pressure in the Earth’s crust changes the texture and the composition of limestone to form large grains of calcite through the process of re-crystallization. Many natural stones, including limestone and travertine, are referred to as marble because the surface of the stone can be polished to a high gloss finish. True marble, however, is produced through the changes in the structure of the stone due to metamorphic events.
The temperatures and pressures necessary to form marble usually destroy any fossils and sedimentary textures present in the original rock. The impurities present in the limestone during recrystallization affect the mineral composition of the marble which is formed.