Nero Marquina marble (mármol negro Marquina) is a high quality, black bituminous limestone extracted from the region of Markina, Basque Country in the North of Spain. This variety of marble gets its black color from naturally-occurring bitumen. It is one of the most important marbles from Spain. It has a fine and compact grain with a black background and white veins, which can be abundant. It has gained recognition worldwide due to its beautiful black color.Similar black marbles are now also produced in China and Iran.