Ijolite

Soapstone

Ijolite and Soapstone

Ijolite

Soapstone

Add ⊕

Definition

Ijolite is an intrusive igneous rock which is composed mainly of nepheline and an alkali pyroxene, usually aegirine-augite

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

History

Origin

Finland, Europe

USA

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From the first syllable of the Finnish words Ii-vaara, Iijoki, &c. commonly used geographical names in Finland, and the Gr. Xiflos, a stone

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

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy, Granular

Polished

Color

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Banded and Foilated

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, 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, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, 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 rock

Metamorphic rock

Features

Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest 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

Ijolite 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

Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite

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

CaO, Mg, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-61

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal to Uneven

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Black

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Greasy to Dull

Greasy

Compressive Strength

190.00 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.762.86

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.6 g/cm³2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

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

Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

England, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, United Kingdom

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

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

All about Ijolite and Soapstone Properties

Know all about Ijolite and Soapstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Ijolite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Ijolite is Earthy, Granular whereas that of Soapstone is Polished. Ijolite appears Banded and Foilated and Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Ijolite is greasy to dull while that of Soapstone is greasy. Ijolite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Ijolite are cemetery markers, creating artwork 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).