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).