Soapstone

Anthracite

Soapstone and Anthracite

Soapstone

Anthracite

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Definition

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

Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster

History

Origin

USA

Pennsylvania, U.S.

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Polished

Amorphous, Glassy

Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Veined or Pebbled

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry

Types

Metamorphic rock

Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel

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

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.

Anthracite forms from the accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. When plant debris dies and falls into the swamp, the standing water of the swamp protects it from decay.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals

Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

11-1.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

Black

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Greasy

Shiny

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²-

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.861.1-1.4

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³1.25-2.5 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K1.32 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Water Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

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

Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Canada, Mexico, USA

South America

Colombia

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria

All about Soapstone and Anthracite Properties

Know all about Soapstone and Anthracite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone and Anthracite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Anthracite is Amorphous, Glassy. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Anthracite appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Anthracite is shiny. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Anthracite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Soapstone are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, production of lime, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Anthracite are alumina refineries, electricity generation, liquid fuel, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, paper industry.