<p>What you see in marble are not veins (for example in the picture of yours). By the term vein in geology we mean a magmatic intrusion in the rock in the form of vein. Can a marble have magma real veins? Yes. The process is explained here: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrusive_rock" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrusive_rock</a>
The 'veins' you are referring to are coming from the different beds of the rock formation. Beds form by the deposition of layers of sediment on top of each other and they might have variations in mineral composition.
As BillOer mentioned already, marble is a metamorphic rock formed from limestone. Can I have different type of 'veins' and swirls in the metamorphosed limestone in comparison with the initial limestone? YES. Why? Because during the metamorphic phase, pressure and heat is applied to the rock. So, we might have a partial melt and re - crystallization, a pressure slide forming swirls and new 'veins'.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-13T03:55:27.353Z
Veins are not necessarily magmatic. Especially in metamorphic rocks, most veins are actually hydrothermal.
Gimelist
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-14T09:57:31.187Z
You are right, I used Greek terminology in my mind!
Vasileios Antoniou
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-12T11:44:12.747Z
2016-01-12T11:44:12.747Z
Vasileios Antoniou
<blockquote>
  <p>particles that go into marble (to my knowledge) don't have any noticeable elongation</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Not necessarily. Marble is mostly made of either calcite (CaCO<sub>3</sub>) or dolomite (CaMg(CO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>), both of which are carbonates that do not exhibit any foliation in metamorphic rocks. But marble is rarely pure and commonly has some clays or other minerals that can contribute to any linear features. Notice that the stuff in your picture is quite big - you can have thin layers of not-pure-marble between the pure marble.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>does it have something to do with the magma intrusions that contribute
  to the marble formation process</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Marble forms by several processes, not always related to a magma intrusion. Marble forms by heating of carbonate rocks. It could be magma and it could be other stuff.</p>

<p>That said, marble can definitely have veining. More commonly the veining is the result of hydrothermal fluids, that is mostly supercritical water flowing through the rock (in veins), dissolving some minerals and precipitating others.</p>

<p>Sometimes you can have textures like that even without any minerals that can be foliated at all. If you take interbeds of calcite and black sand (quartz + heavy minerals, let's say magnetite) and start deforming it, you will get interesting textures. Go to Google Images and type in "metamorphic deformation".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-13T04:28:20.683Z
2016-01-13T04:28:20.683Z
Gimelist
<p>I am finding surprisingly little information about this. I imagine that the process is somewhat like foliation except because the particles that go into marble (to my knowledge) don't have any noticeable elongation you get more amorphous billowing shapes rather than more regular layers. Any more details on this?</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/7ulJm.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/7ulJm.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>EDIT: Or does it have something to do with the magma intrusions that contribute to the marble formation process?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-21T23:35:08.473Z
Marble is a calcite (calcium carbonate), a type of sedimentary rock, that is heated and subject to fairly high pressure.  It is not igneous. I suspect the marbling comes from the different deposition layers as they're laid down, and deformation from the subsequent pressure and heat. I'm not including this as an answer, because I'm not positive; this is more of an educated guess.
BillDOe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-22T00:07:32.910Z
The general answer is that swirls and veins in marble are formed by a both primary (sedimentary) and secondary (metasomatic and metamorphic) processes. Can you add a photo of the types of features you are referring to?
geordie
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-22T05:16:04.330Z
Slight correction: Marble is a metamorphic rock formed from limestone, which is a sedimentary rock. Just wanted to clarify.
BillDOe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-02T18:11:31.400Z
When I referred to magma intrusions, I meant those not directly *touching* the site of marble formation but presumably adding heat to it by proximity. They were mentioned in my textbook.

Here is a photo for an idea of what I mean:

http://themarbleguy.com/images/pillars.jpg
readyready15728
<geology><metamorphism>
How do the swirls and veins in marble form in detail?
readyready15728
# How do the swirls and veins in marble form in detail?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-07-21)

I am finding surprisingly little information about this. I imagine that the process is somewhat like foliation except because the particles that go into marble (to my knowledge) don't have any noticeable elongation you get more amorphous billowing shapes rather than more regular layers. Any more details on this?

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/7ulJm.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/7ulJm.jpg)

EDIT: Or does it have something to do with the magma intrusions that contribute to the marble formation process?

**Tags:** geology, metamorphism

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Marble is a calcite (calcium carbonate), a type of sedimentary rock, that is heated and subject to fairly high pressure.  It is not igneous. I suspect the marbling comes from the different deposition layers as they're laid down, and deformation from the subsequent pressure and heat. I'm not including this as an answer, because I'm not positive; this is more of an educated guess.  
> **username_2**: The general answer is that swirls and veins in marble are formed by a both primary (sedimentary) and secondary (metasomatic and metamorphic) processes. Can you add a photo of the types of features you are referring to?  
> **username_1**: Slight correction: Marble is a metamorphic rock formed from limestone, which is a sedimentary rock. Just wanted to clarify.  
> **username_0**: When I referred to magma intrusions, I meant those not directly *touching* the site of marble formation but presumably adding heat to it by proximity. They were mentioned in my textbook.  Here is a photo for an idea of what I mean:  http://themarbleguy.com/images/pillars.jpg  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-01-12. Score: 3

What you see in marble are not veins (for example in the picture of yours). By the term vein in geology we mean a magmatic intrusion in the rock in the form of vein. Can a marble have magma real veins? Yes. The process is explained here: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrusive_rock>
The 'veins' you are referring to are coming from the different beds of the rock formation. Beds form by the deposition of layers of sediment on top of each other and they might have variations in mineral composition.
As BillOer mentioned already, marble is a metamorphic rock formed from limestone. Can I have different type of 'veins' and swirls in the metamorphosed limestone in comparison with the initial limestone? YES. Why? Because during the metamorphic phase, pressure and heat is applied to the rock. So, we might have a partial melt and re - crystallization, a pressure slide forming swirls and new 'veins'.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Veins are not necessarily magmatic. Especially in metamorphic rocks, most veins are actually hydrothermal.  
> **username_3**: You are right, I used Greek terminology in my mind!  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2016-01-13. Score: 1

> particles that go into marble (to my knowledge) don't have any noticeable elongation

Not necessarily. Marble is mostly made of either calcite (CaCO3) or dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2), both of which are carbonates that do not exhibit any foliation in metamorphic rocks. But marble is rarely pure and commonly has some clays or other minerals that can contribute to any linear features. Notice that the stuff in your picture is quite big - you can have thin layers of not-pure-marble between the pure marble.

> does it have something to do with the magma intrusions that contribute
> to the marble formation process

Marble forms by several processes, not always related to a magma intrusion. Marble forms by heating of carbonate rocks. It could be magma and it could be other stuff.

That said, marble can definitely have veining. More commonly the veining is the result of hydrothermal fluids, that is mostly supercritical water flowing through the rock (in veins), dissolving some minerals and precipitating others.

Sometimes you can have textures like that even without any minerals that can be foliated at all. If you take interbeds of calcite and black sand (quartz + heavy minerals, let's say magnetite) and start deforming it, you will get interesting textures. Go to Google Images and type in "metamorphic deformation".


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