Definition
A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From English word serpentinization.
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
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Available
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Jadeitite
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Not Available
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
Famous Sculptures
Not Available
Not Available
Formation
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Serpentinite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
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.
Mineral Content
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
CaO, Mg, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Greasy
Cleavage
Not Available
Perfect
Specific Gravity
2.79-3
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.5-3 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand
Africa
Ethiopia, Western Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Available
Not Available
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada
Canada, USA
South America
Colombia
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
Serpentinite vs Soapstone Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Serpentinite vs Soapstone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Serpentinite and Properties of Soapstone. Learn more about Serpentinite vs Soapstone in the next section. The interior uses of Serpentinite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Serpentinite and Soapstone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Serpentinite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement and that of Soapstone include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Serpentinite and Soapstone
Here you can know more about Serpentinite and Soapstone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Serpentinite and Soapstone consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Serpentinite includes Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides and mineral content of Soapstone includes Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Serpentinite vs Soapstone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Serpentinite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors whereas, Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. Appearance of Serpentinite is Rough and Dull and that of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Serpentinite vs Soapstone. The hardness of Serpentinite is 3-5 and that of Soapstone is 1. The types of Serpentinite are Jadeitite whereas types of Soapstone are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Serpentinite is white, greenish white or grey while that of Soapstone is black. The specific heat capacity of Serpentinite is 0.95 kJ/Kg K and that of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Serpentinite is heat resistant whereas Soapstone is heat resistant, pressure resistant.
