Evaporite

Soapstone

Evaporite and Soapstone

Evaporite

Soapstone

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Definition

A water-soluble mineral sediment resulting from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution

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

History

Origin

USA

Discoverer

Usiglio

Unknown

Etymology

From a sediment left after the evaporation

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

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy

Polished

Color

Green, Grey, Silver, White

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Used in the manufacture of Ceramic Powder, Used in the preparation of Sulfuric Acid and Silicon Diborite

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

Types

Sedimentary rock

Metamorphic rock

Features

Generally rough to touch, Splintery, Veined

Host Rock for Lead

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

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

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Absent

Formation

Evaporite is water-soluble mineral sediment which forms from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution.

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, Cancrinite, Gypsum, Kyanite, Magnetite

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

Compound Content

CaMg(CO₃)₂, CaO, Calcium Sulfate, KCl, MgO, NaCl

CaO, Mg, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

2-31

1 7

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Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Black

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Greasy

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.86-2.992.86

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

United Kingdom

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

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Colombia, Paraguay

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

All about Evaporite and Soapstone Properties

Know all about Evaporite and Soapstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Evaporite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Evaporite is Earthy whereas that of Soapstone is Polished. Evaporite appears Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated and Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Evaporite is subvitreous to dull while that of Soapstone is greasy. Evaporite is available in green, grey, silver, white colors whereas Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Evaporite are used in the manufacture of ceramic powder, used in the preparation of sulfuric acid and silicon diborite 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).