Soapstone

Evaporite

Soapstone and Evaporite

Soapstone

Evaporite

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Definition

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

A water-soluble mineral sediment resulting from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution

History

Origin

USA

Discoverer

Unknown

Usiglio

Etymology

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

From a sediment left after the evaporation

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sedimentary 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

Earthy

Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Green, Grey, Silver, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts

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)

Used in the manufacture of Ceramic Powder, Used in the preparation of Sulfuric Acid and Silicon Diborite

Types

Metamorphic rock

Sedimentary rock

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Generally rough to touch, Splintery, Veined

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

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.

Evaporite is water-soluble mineral sediment which forms from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Calcite, Cancrinite, Gypsum, Kyanite, Magnetite

Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

CaMg(CO₃)₂, CaO, Calcium Sulfate, KCl, MgO, NaCl

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

12-3

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

Black

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Greasy

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.862.86-2.99

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Translucent

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

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

United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Colombia

Colombia, Paraguay

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Soapstone and Evaporite Properties

Know all about Soapstone and Evaporite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Evaporite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Evaporite is Earthy. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Evaporite appears Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Evaporite is subvitreous to dull. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Evaporite is available in green, grey, silver, white 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 Evaporite are used in the manufacture of ceramic powder, used in the preparation of sulfuric acid and silicon diborite.