Slate

Soapstone

Slate and Soapstone

Slate

Soapstone

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Definition

Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism

It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc

History

Origin

England

USA

Discoverer

Abraham Gottlob Werner

Unknown

Etymology

From Old French esclate, from esclat (French éclat)

From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated

Polished

Color

Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Light to Dark Grey, Purple, Red, Shades of Blue

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Blackboards, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Standard material for the bed of Billiard table, Standard material for the beds of Pool and Snooker table, Tombstones, Used in aquariums, Writing Slates

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Phyllite, Schist, and Slate

Metamorphic rock

Features

Easily splits into thin plates, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock

Host Rock for Lead

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Slate is a low grade metamorphic rock that is generally formed by metamorphosis of mudstone or shale, under relatively low pressure and temperature conditions.

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, Chlorite, Feldspar, Graphite, Hematite, Kaolinite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Tourmaline, Zircon

Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

CaO, Mg, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3-41

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Splintery

Conchoidal

Streak

Light to dark brown

Black

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Dull

Greasy

Compressive Strength

30.00 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Perfect

Toughness

1.2

Specific Gravity

2.65-2.82.86

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.6-2.8 g/cm³2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.76 kJ/Kg K0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Turkey

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

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom

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

Others

Arctic

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

All about Slate and Soapstone Properties

Know all about Slate and Soapstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Slate and Soapstone belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Slate is Foliated whereas that of Soapstone is Polished. Slate appears Dull and Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Slate is dull while that of Soapstone is greasy. Slate is available in black, brown, buff, green, light to dark grey, purple, red, shades of blue colors whereas Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Slate are blackboards, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, standard material for the bed of billiard table, standard material for the beds of pool and snooker table, tombstones, used in aquariums, writing slates 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).