Felsite

Soapstone

Felsite and Soapstone

Felsite

Soapstone

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Definition

Felsite is a very fine grained volcanic rock that may or may not contain larger crystals and light colored rock that typically requires petrographic examination or chemical analysis for more precise definition

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

History

Origin

USA

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From English feldspar and -ite

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

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Arborescent Patterned, Vitreous

Polished

Color

Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Paving Stone, Garden Decoration

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Surgery

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Mirror, Jewelry

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

Types

Igneous rock

Metamorphic rock

Features

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, Splintery, Very fine grained rock

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

Absent

Formation

Felsite 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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Feldspar, Iron Oxides

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

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-5.51

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Black

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Greasy

Compressive Strength

0.15 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.72.86

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.6 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, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia

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

Africa

Kenya

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey

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

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

All about Felsite and Soapstone Properties

Know all about Felsite and Soapstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Felsite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Felsite is Arborescent Patterned, Vitreous whereas that of Soapstone is Polished. Felsite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Felsite is vitreous while that of Soapstone is greasy. Felsite is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors whereas Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Felsite are mirror, 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).