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Alkali Feldspar Granite and Soapstone


Soapstone and Alkali Feldspar Granite


Definition

Definition
Alkali feldspar granite, also known as red granite, is a felsic igneous rock and a type of granite rich in the mineral potassium feldspar   
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
USA   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From mineral fledspar which is present in large quantities in this rock   
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Phaneritic   
Polished   

Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White   
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey   

Maintenance
More   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Veined or Pebbled   
Dull, Banded and Foilated   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads   
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts   
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone   
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones   
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock   
Host Rock for Lead   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Alkali fledspar granite is an intrusive igneous rock which is very hard, crystalline and is visibly homogeneous in texture and forms by melting of continental rocks.   
Soapstone is a talc-schist, which is a type of metamorphic rock and it is largely composed of the mineral talc and is thus rich inmagnesium.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz   
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
CaO, Mg, MgO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
No   

Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering   
Not Applicable   

Erosion
Yes   
No   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Not Applicable   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6-7   
1   

Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Not Available   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
Black   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous   
Greasy   

Compressive Strength
175.00 N/mm2   
13
225.00 N/mm2   
7

Cleavage
Not Available   
Perfect   

Toughness
Not Available   
1   

Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7   
2.86   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.6-2.8 g/cm3   
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.79 kJ/Kg K   
16
0.88 kJ/Kg K   
13

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam   
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand   

Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa   
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa   

Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela   
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Not Yet Found   
Colombia   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Not Yet Found   
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Alkali Feldspar Granite and Soapstone Properties

Know all about Alkali Feldspar Granite and Soapstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Alkali Feldspar Granite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Alkali Feldspar Granite is Phaneritic whereas that of Soapstone is Polished. Alkali Feldspar Granite appears Veined or Pebbled and Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Alkali Feldspar Granite is dull to grainy with sporadic parts pearly and vitreous while that of Soapstone is greasy. Alkali Feldspar Granite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Alkali Feldspar Granite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, tombstones and that of Soapstone are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, production of lime, source of magnesia (mgo).

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