Sylacauga marble
Encyclopedia
Sylacauga marble
is found in a belt running through Talladega County, Alabama
. It is prized for its pure white color and its crystalline structure. The stone is named after the town of Sylacauga, Alabama
, which is sometimes called "the Marble City". Sylacauga marble has been called the "world's whitest". It has been mined for over 160 years, and is used for building, sculpture, and by the paper industry. The Alabama legislature declared marble as the official State Rock in 1969.
's Talladega County. It runs in a swath 32 miles (51.5 km) in length, from the Coosa River
to just south of the city of Talladega
. The deposit is up to 600 feet (182.9 m) in depth and is focused on the city of Sylacauga
, for which it is named.
Major mining operations currently include Omya, Alabama Marble Co., and Imerys. Although the pure white color is most widely known in the market, portions of the deposit produce types with bodies or veining in black pink, gray, and yellow hues.
's famous Carrara
marble, and is noted for its translucency. It was used for the bust of Abraham Lincoln which resides in the United States Capitol
rotunda. It was used for the ceilings in the Lincoln Memorial
, and was also used in Washington Monument
and for the interiors of the United States Supreme Court Building
.
Aside from use as sculptural media and as a building stone, the marble is also used in industry as a coating to whiten high-quality paper, for electrical insulation, pigment, and other purposes. It is used in agriculture as a soil amendment.
On 12 September 1969, Alabama's legislature passed Act 755, which made marble the state's official rock.
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
is found in a belt running through Talladega County, Alabama
Talladega County, Alabama
Talladega County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Talladega is a Muscogee Native American word derived from TVLVTEKE, which means "border town." As of 2010, the population was 82,291...
. It is prized for its pure white color and its crystalline structure. The stone is named after the town of Sylacauga, Alabama
Sylacauga, Alabama
Sylacauga is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 12,616.Nicknames for Sylacauga include: "The Marble City," "Buzzard's Roost" and "Sly Town"....
, which is sometimes called "the Marble City". Sylacauga marble has been called the "world's whitest". It has been mined for over 160 years, and is used for building, sculpture, and by the paper industry. The Alabama legislature declared marble as the official State Rock in 1969.
Occurrence
Sylacauga marble occurs mainly in AlabamaAlabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
's Talladega County. It runs in a swath 32 miles (51.5 km) in length, from the Coosa River
Coosa River
The Coosa River is a tributary of the Alabama River in the U.S. states of Alabama and Georgia. The river is about long altogether.The Coosa River is one of Alabama's most developed rivers...
to just south of the city of Talladega
Talladega, Alabama
Talladega is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 15,143. The city is the county seat of Talladega County. Talladega is approximately 50 miles east of Birmingham, Alabama....
. The deposit is up to 600 feet (182.9 m) in depth and is focused on the city of Sylacauga
Sylacauga, Alabama
Sylacauga is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 12,616.Nicknames for Sylacauga include: "The Marble City," "Buzzard's Roost" and "Sly Town"....
, for which it is named.
Major mining operations currently include Omya, Alabama Marble Co., and Imerys. Although the pure white color is most widely known in the market, portions of the deposit produce types with bodies or veining in black pink, gray, and yellow hues.
Uses of Sylacauga marble
Sylacauga marble has been praised by sculptors as equivalent to ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
's famous Carrara
Carrara
Carrara is a city and comune in the province of Massa-Carrara , notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence....
marble, and is noted for its translucency. It was used for the bust of Abraham Lincoln which resides in the United States Capitol
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
rotunda. It was used for the ceilings in the Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...
, and was also used in Washington Monument
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...
and for the interiors of the United States Supreme Court Building
United States Supreme Court building
The Supreme Court Building is the seat of the Supreme Court of the United States. It is situated in Washington, D.C. at 1 First Street, NE, on the block immediately east of the United States Capitol. The building is under the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol. On May 4, 1987, the Supreme...
.
Aside from use as sculptural media and as a building stone, the marble is also used in industry as a coating to whiten high-quality paper, for electrical insulation, pigment, and other purposes. It is used in agriculture as a soil amendment.
On 12 September 1969, Alabama's legislature passed Act 755, which made marble the state's official rock.
External links
- Geological Survey of Alabama with geological maps showing resource locations within the state