noir belge (belgian black) is collective noun referring to black limestone found on several sites in belgium. some trade names refer more specifically to the quarry were the material was found, for example "noir de mazy" or "noir de golzinne". some "noir belge marble" deposit belongs to a fine-grained calcareous sedimentary formation dated frasnian era (upper devonian – around 360 million years ago) and located on the northern border of namur sedimentary basin. a few black limestones located in the lower carboniferous (near the city of dinant)