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Marble and Soapstone


Soapstone and Marble


Definition

Definition
Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock which is composed of recrystallized carbonate which is formed when limestone is exposed to high temperatures and pressures over a long time   
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc   

History
  
  

Origin
Egypt   
USA   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From the Greek marmaros, shining stone and also from the English word marmoreal meaning marble-like   
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Granular   
Polished   

Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Pink, White   
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey   

Maintenance
More   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Veined and Shiny   
Dull, Banded and Foilated   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads   
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
Not Yet Used   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone   
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Laboratory bench tops, Paper Industry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper   
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   

Types

Types
Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Calacatta marble, Cultured Marble, Polished Marble, Honed Marble, Sand Marble   
Not Available   

Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   
Host Rock for Lead   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Buland Darwaza in Agra, India, Capitol Hill Building, Washington DC, Charminar in Hyderabad, India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Maharashtra, India, Ephesus in Turkey, Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, Humayun's Tomb in Delhi, India, Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India, Louvre in Paris, France, Mysore Palace in Karnataka, India, Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, Romania, Parthenon in Greece, Potala Palace in Lahasa, Tibet, Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, Qutb Minar in India, Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, St. Peter’s Cathedral in Vatican City, Taj Mahal in Agra, India, Tower of Pisa, Italy, Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, India, Washington Monument, US   
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Bust of Artemis, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Lincoln Memorial in America   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Marble is a metamorphic rock produced from limestone in the earth crust. It is formed by the metamorphism of limestone.   
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
Garnet, Graphite, Olivine, Pyrite, Quartz   
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz   

Compound Content
CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide   
CaO, Mg, MgO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Impact 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, Coastal Erosion   
Not Applicable   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3-4   
1   

Grain Size
Medium Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Not Available   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
Black   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous   
Greasy   

Compressive Strength
115.00 N/mm2   
18
225.00 N/mm2   
7

Cleavage
Perfect   
Perfect   

Toughness
Not Available   
1   

Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87   
2.86   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.4-2.7 g/cm3   
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K   
13
0.88 kJ/Kg K   
13

Resistance
Heat Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

Africa
Namibia   
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa   

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

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Not Yet Found   
Canada, USA   

South America
Not Yet Found   
Colombia   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria   
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Marble and Soapstone Properties

Know all about Marble and Soapstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Marble and Soapstone belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Marble is Granular whereas that of Soapstone is Polished. Marble appears Veined and Shiny and Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Marble is dull to pearly to subvitreous while that of Soapstone is greasy. Marble is available in black, blue, brown, grey, pink, white colors whereas Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Marble are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling, laboratory bench tops, paper industry, tombstones, used in aquariums, whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper 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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