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Shoshonite and Soapstone


Soapstone and Shoshonite


Definition

Definition
Shoshonite is a basaltic rock, properly a potassic trachyandesite, composed of olivine, augite and plagioclase phenocrysts in a groundmass with calcic plagioclase and sanidine and some dark-colored volcanic glass   
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc   

History
  
  

Origin
Wyoming,USA   
USA   

Discoverer
Iddings   
Unknown   

Etymology
From the place of origin called Shoshone riverin Wyoming   
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
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Porphyritic   
Polished   

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

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Dull   
Dull, Banded and Foilated   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone   
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   

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

Antiquity Uses
Sculpture   
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

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock   
Host Rock for Lead   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable   
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
Shoshonite 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
Pyroxene   
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Titanium Dioxide   
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
6   
1   

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Uneven   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White to Grey   
Black   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Dull   
Greasy   

Compressive Strength
Not Available   
225.00 N/mm2   
7

Cleavage
Poor   
Perfect   

Toughness
1.6   
1   

Specific Gravity
2.98   
2.86   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.9-3 g/cm3   
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.88 kJ/Kg K   
13

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

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

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

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil   
Colombia   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Not Yet Found   
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Shoshonite and Soapstone Properties

Know all about Shoshonite and Soapstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Shoshonite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Shoshonite is Porphyritic whereas that of Soapstone is Polished. Shoshonite appears Dull and Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Shoshonite is dull while that of Soapstone is greasy. Shoshonite is available in brown- black, dark brown colors whereas Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Shoshonite 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).

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