Home
Compare Rocks


Scoria and Soapstone


Soapstone and Scoria


Definition

Definition
Scoria is a dark-colored extrusive igneous rock with abundant round bubble-like cavities   
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
USA   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From late Middle English (denoting slag from molten metal), from Greek skōria refuse, from skōr dung   
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   
Not Applicable   

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

Texture

Texture
Vesicular   
Polished   

Color
Black, Brown, Dark Grey to Black, Red   
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey   

Maintenance
More   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
No   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Glassy and Vesicular   
Dull, Banded and Foilated   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, In landscaping and drainage works   
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   

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

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
As a traction material on snow-covered roads, Creating Artwork, High-temperature insulation, In gas barbecue grills   
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Surfaces are often shiny   
Host Rock for Lead   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Scoria forms when magma containing huge amount of dissolved gas flows from a volcano during an eruption.   
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
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz, Silica   
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz   

Compound Content
Ca, NaCl   
CaO, Mg, MgO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Glacier Erosion   
Not Applicable   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5-6   
1   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
Black   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Subvitreous to Dull   
Greasy   

Compressive Strength
Not Available   
225.00 N/mm2   
7

Cleavage
Perfect   
Perfect   

Toughness
2.1   
1   

Specific Gravity
Not Available   
2.86   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
Not Available   
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.88 kJ/Kg K   
13

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear 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
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania   
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
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru   
Colombia   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia   
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Scoria and Soapstone Properties

Know all about Scoria and Soapstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Scoria belongs to Igneous Rocks while Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Scoria is Vesicular whereas that of Soapstone is Polished. Scoria appears Glassy and Vesicular and Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Scoria is subvitreous to dull while that of Soapstone is greasy. Scoria is available in black, brown, dark grey to black, red colors whereas Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Scoria are as a traction material on snow-covered roads, creating artwork, high-temperature insulation, in gas barbecue grills 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).

Compare Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

» More Igneous Rocks

Compare Igneous Rocks

» More Compare Igneous Rocks