Breccia

Soapstone

Breccia and Soapstone

Breccia

Soapstone

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1 Definition

1.1 Definition

Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material

It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

England

USA

1.2.2 Discoverer

Unknown

1.3 Etymology

From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break

From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap

1.4 Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Not Applicable

1.6 Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Brecciated, Clastic

Polished

2.2 Color

Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

59% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

81% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

62% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

65% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

43% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

42% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

38% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

19% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

22% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

15% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.5 Appearance

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Dull, Banded and Foilated

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

4 Types

4.1 Types

Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia

Not Available

4.2 Features

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch

Host Rock for Lead

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Not Yet Used

Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

Not Applicable

Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire

4.3.3 Sculpture

Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

4.3.5 Pictographs

Not Used

Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Not Used

Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Used

4.4 Fossils

Present

Absent

5 Formation

5.1 Formation

Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.

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.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica

Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

5.2.2 Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

CaO, Mg, MgO

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

19% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

50% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism

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

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

78% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

65% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Not Applicable

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

86% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

77% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Not Applicable

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

6.1.2 Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Uneven

Conchoidal

6.1.4 Streak

White

Black

6.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Dull to Pearly

Greasy

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

What Is Flint

⊕

▶

▼

Not Available

Rank: N/A (Overall)▶

225.00 N/mm²

Rank: 7 (Overall)▶

▲

What Is Obsidian

⊕

▶

175 (What Is Grani..)

◀ ▶ ADD ⊕

6.1.8 Cleavage

Non-Existent

Perfect

6.1.9 Toughness

Not Available

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

2.86-2.87

2.86

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

6.1.12 Density

0 g/cm³

2.8-2.9 g/cm³

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

What Is Banded ..

⊕

▶

▼

Not Available

Rank: N/A (Overall)▶

0.88 kJ/Kg K

Rank: 13 (Overall)▶

▲

What Is Granulite

⊕

▶

1.09 (What Is Trave..)

◀ ▶ ADD ⊕

6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan

China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand

7.1.2 Africa

Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

7.1.3 Europe

Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

7.1.4 Others

Greenland

Not Yet Found

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA

Canada, USA

7.2.2 South America

Brazil

Colombia

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

All about Breccia and Soapstone Properties

Know all about Breccia and Soapstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Breccia belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Breccia is Brecciated, Clastic whereas that of Soapstone is Polished. Breccia appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Breccia is dull to pearly while that of Soapstone is greasy. Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow colors whereas Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Breccia are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry 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).