Definition
Epidosite is a highly altered epidote and quartz bearing rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
Not Available
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Polished
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
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
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Not Available
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Formation
Epidosite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive 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.
Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
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
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Fine to Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Not Available
Greasy
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Perfect
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
Not Available
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand
Africa
South Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Iceland
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
Brazil
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
Epidosite vs Soapstone Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Epidosite vs Soapstone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Epidosite and Properties of Soapstone. Learn more about Epidosite vs Soapstone in the next section. The interior uses of Epidosite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Epidosite and Soapstone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Epidosite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone and that of Soapstone include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Epidosite and Soapstone
Here you can know more about Epidosite and Soapstone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Epidosite and Soapstone consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Epidosite includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Soapstone includes Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Epidosite vs Soapstone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Epidosite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas, Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. Appearance of Epidosite is Dull and Soft and that of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Epidosite vs Soapstone. The hardness of Epidosite is 6 and that of Soapstone is 1. The types of Epidosite are Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite whereas types of Soapstone are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Epidosite is white to grey while that of Soapstone is black. The specific heat capacity of Epidosite is Not Available and that of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Epidosite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Soapstone is heat resistant, pressure resistant.