Use of marble as hearth material

A friend of mine in Southern Greece likes my stove (Supra Mulhouse) so much he is intending to install the same, taking out his chimney breast where there is a big open fireplace and removing his existing hearth. He plans to put a piece of marble under and in front of the stove. My experience with a marble mantelpiece is that burn marks will show if any wood falls out of the stove and also that the marble will turn brownish in very high temps. Does anyone else have any experience of the use of marble which by the way is relatively inexpensive in this country? I should hate my friend to make a mistake with what will be a costly and time-consuming project.

I have marble tile around my stove, used as ember protection. After 12 years of use I have no complaints. The dog hates it though.

Why, does your dog have a cold bottom on the marble or does he just not like the smooth surface?

It's the smooth, slippery surface he hates. Avoids it at all costs, which means he has to sleep further away from the stove.