Dolomite
"Dolomite" names a mineral, calcium magnesium carbonate, and the sedimentary rock made mostly of it, also called dolostone. In the stone trade, "dolomite" or "dolomite marble" also means marble recrystallized from dolomite rather than calcite. SoCal Tiles sells two white dolomite lines: Bianco Dolomiti and Bianco Congelato.
- Also called
- Dolomite Marble; Dolostone
- Color
- White to off-white with soft grey veining (SoCal's lines)
- Mineral
- Calcium magnesium carbonate, CaMg(CO3)2Source: Dolomite (rock), Wikipedia
- Rock
- Sedimentary carbonate rock, mostly dolomite; also called dolostoneSource: Dolomite (rock), Wikipedia
- Mineral hardness
- Mohs 4 or lessSource: Dolomite (rock), Wikipedia
- Acid test
- Bubbles feebly with dilute hydrochloric acid; limestone reacts vigorously. An identification test, not etch-resistance evidenceSource: Dolomite (rock), Wikipedia
- Finishes at SoCal Tiles
- Polished, Honed, Brushed
SoCal Tiles carries
SoCal Tiles sells Bianco Dolomiti (mostly Polished, some Honed) and Bianco Congelato (Brushed) as field tile, mosaics and trim. Examples, each with a sample option:
Appearance and variation
SoCal's dolomite lines are white to off-white with soft grey veining.
About Dolomite
What "dolomite" means. The word is used three ways:
- The mineral: calcium magnesium carbonate, CaMg(CO3)2.
- The rock: a sedimentary rock made mostly of that mineral, also called dolostone.
- The trade term: marble recrystallized from dolomite rather than calcite is sold as "dolomite" or "dolomite marble."
The mineral is different from calcite, the calcium carbonate in most marble and limestone. Geologists tell dolomite from limestone with a drop of dilute hydrochloric acid: dolomite "bubbles feebly," while limestone "reacts vigorously." That identifies the rock. It doesn't measure how a finished tile resists etching from household acids, so care for dolomite as you would marble.
A naming caution. The name "Bianco Dolomiti" doesn't tell you where a stone was quarried. Trade sources disagree: some place Bianco Dolomiti in Italy, others on Marmara Island, Turkey. Ask if the exact origin matters to you.
Caring for natural stone: read our stone care guide.
Common questions
Is dolomite more acid-resistant than marble?
Not in a way we can confirm for tile. In a geologist's test, dolomite bubbles feebly with dilute acid while limestone reacts vigorously. That identifies the rock; it doesn't measure how a finished tile resists etching. Care for it as you would marble.
Is Bianco Dolomiti from the Dolomites?
Not necessarily. Trade sources disagree on where Bianco Dolomiti is quarried, so ask if it matters to you.
Sources
- Dolomite (rock), Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-09-24)
- Marble, Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-09-24)
- Natural Stone Institute, Care & Cleaning of Natural Stone (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- SoCal Tiles product catalog: dolomite (retrieved 2026-09-21)