Breccia and Soapstone
Definition
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
History
Origin
England
USA
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Family
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Brecciated, Clastic
Polished
Color
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
Yes
Yes
Scratch Resistant
Yes
No
Stain Resistant
Yes
No
Wind Resistant
Yes
No
Acid Resistant
No
No
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Other Uses
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)
Types
Types
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia
Not Available
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
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
Present
Absent
Formation
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.
Composition
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
CaO, Mg, MgO
Transformation
Metamorphism
Yes
Yes
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Weathering
Yes
No
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Erosion
Yes
No
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Not Applicable
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
7
1
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White
Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly
Greasy
Compressive Strength
Not Available
225.00 N/mm2
7
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Perfect
Toughness
Not Available
1
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
0 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
0.88 kJ/Kg K
13
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Reserves
Deposits in Eastern Continents
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
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
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).
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