During metamorphism of limestone to marble, fossil remains?

• A. They are preserved
• B. They become quartz
• C. They become calcite crystals
• D. They are destroyed or deformed

Answer: (D)

Metamorphism rearranges minerals under heat and pressure, so the rock's texture and mineral composition change while often preserving little of the original details. In limestone turning into marble, calcite grains recrystallize into a new, interlocking crystal mosaic. This process tends to destroy the original fossil frameworks—shells, molds, and other structures are crushed, dissolved, or deformed as the rock’s grains grow and rearrange. The result is marble with a crystalline calcite texture and little to no intact fossil evidence. The options suggesting fossils become quartz or simply turn into calcite crystals miss the point: the fossils themselves are typically obliterated during recrystallization rather than preserved as distinct crystals or transformed into entirely different minerals.