Know all about Oil shale and Soapstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Oil shale belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Oil shale is Splintery whereas that of Soapstone is Polished. Oil shale appears Muddy and Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Oil shale is dull while that of Soapstone is greasy. Oil shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors whereas Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Oil shale are an oil and gas reservoir 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).