Definition
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc
  
Chalk is a soft, white, powdery limestone consisting mainly of fossil shells of foraminifers
  
History
  
  
Origin
USA
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap
  
From old English cealc chalk, lime, plaster; pebble, from Greek khalix small pebble, in English transferred to the opaque, white, soft limestone
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Polished
  
Clastic or Non-Clastic
  
Color
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
  
Grey, White, Yellow
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
  
Soft
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Powder
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
  
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, raw material for manufacture of quicklime and slaked lime, Source of calcium
  
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
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, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Paper Industry, Production of Lime, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime, slaked lime, Soil Conditioner, Whiting, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Features
Host Rock for Lead
  
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Present
  
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.
  
Chalk is formed from lime mud, which accumulates on the sea floor which is then transformed into rock by geological processes.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
  
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
  
Compound Content
CaO, Mg, MgO
  
Ca, NaCl, CaO
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
  
Erosion
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
1
  
1
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Very fine-grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Not Available
  
Streak
Black
  
White
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Greasy
  
Dull
  
Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm
2
  
7
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
1
  
1
  
Specific Gravity
2.86
  
2.3-2.4
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
  
2.49-2.50 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K
  
13
0.90 kJ/Kg K
  
12
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Heat Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand
  
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
  
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
  
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
  
Europe
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Colombia
  
Colombia
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
  
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
  
All about Soapstone and Chalk Properties
Know all about Soapstone and Chalk properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Chalk belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Chalk is Clastic or Non-Clastic. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Chalk appears Soft. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Chalk is dull. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Chalk is available in grey, white, yellow 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 Chalk are alumina refineries, creating artwork, drawing on blackboards, gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, in aquifers, paper industry, production of lime, raw material for manufacture of quicklime, slaked lime, soil conditioner, whiting, whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper.