Soapstone

Breccia

Soapstone and Breccia

Soapstone

Breccia

Add ⊕

1 Definition

1.1 Definition

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

Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

USA

England

1.2.2 Discoverer

Unknown

1.3 Etymology

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

From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break

1.4 Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Not Applicable

1.6 Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Polished

Brecciated, Clastic

2.2 Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

81% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

59% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

65% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

62% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

42% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

43% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

19% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

38% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

15% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

22% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

2.5 Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

1.1.1 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

1.2 Industry

1.2.1 Construction Industry

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone

1.2.2 Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Not Yet Used

1.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Sculpture

1.4 Other Uses

1.4.2 Commercial Uses

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

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry

2 Types

2.1 Types

Not Available

Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia

2.3 Features

Host Rock for Lead

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch

2.4 Archaeological Significance

2.4.1 Monuments

Used

Not Yet Used

2.4.3 Famous Monuments

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

Not Applicable

2.5.1 Sculpture

Used

2.5.2 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

2.6.1 Pictographs

Used

Not Used

2.6.3 Petroglyphs

Used

Not Used

2.6.4 Figurines

Used

2.7 Fossils

Absent

Present

3 Formation

3.1 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.

Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.

3.2 Composition

3.2.1 Mineral Content

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

Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica

3.2.2 Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

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

3.3 Transformation

3.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

50% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

19% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

3.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

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

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism

3.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

65% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

78% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

3.3.4 Types of Weathering

Not Applicable

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

3.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

77% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

86% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

3.3.6 Types of Erosion

Not Applicable

Chemical Erosion

4 Properties

4.1 Physical Properties

4.1.1 Hardness

4.1.2 Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Coarse Grained

4.1.3 Fracture

Conchoidal

Uneven

4.1.4 Streak

Black

White

4.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

4.1.6 Luster

Greasy

Dull to Pearly

4.1.7 Compressive Strength

What Is Flint

⊕

▶

▼

225.00 N/mm²

Rank: 7 (Overall)▶

Not Available

Rank: N/A (Overall)▶

▲

What Is Obsidian

⊕

▶

175 (What Is Grani..)

◀ ▶ ADD ⊕

4.1.8 Cleavage

Perfect

Non-Existent

4.1.9 Toughness

Not Available

4.1.10 Specific Gravity

2.86

2.86-2.87

4.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

4.1.12 Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 g/cm³

4.2 Thermal Properties

4.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

What Is Banded ..

⊕

▶

▼

0.88 kJ/Kg K

Rank: 13 (Overall)▶

Not Available

Rank: N/A (Overall)▶

▲

What Is Granulite

⊕

▶

1.09 (What Is Trave..)

◀ ▶ ADD ⊕

4.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

5 Reserves

5.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

5.1.1 Asia

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

China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan

5.1.2 Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

5.1.3 Europe

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

Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

5.1.4 Others

Not Yet Found

Greenland

5.2 Deposits in Western Continents

5.2.1 North America

Canada, USA

Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA

5.2.2 South America

Colombia

Brazil

5.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

5.3.1 Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

New South Wales, New Zealand

All about Soapstone and Breccia Properties

Know all about Soapstone and Breccia properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Breccia belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Breccia is Brecciated, Clastic. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Breccia appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Breccia is dull to pearly. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Soapstone and Breccia are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, production of lime, source of magnesia (mgo).