When installing natural stone worktops in your bathroom or kitchen, you will find that there are a number of types of stone from which to choose. Marble has a long history of use in homes and it is both durable and elegant. Of course, like any natural stone, it’s helpful to understand what this stone consists of. Its composition will help you understand its strengths and weaknesses which will give you the most realistic expectations. Firstly, marble is not indestructible. It’s tough and it will last a lifetime if it is properly cleaned and maintained. Marble is classified as a metamorphic rock. It forms when limestone is exposed to substantial heat and pressure. It mostly consists of calcite and other clay minerals, pyrite, graphite, iron oxides, and more. When the calcite in the limestone is exposed to heat and pressure, it recrystallizes and a rock mass of interlocking calcite crystals