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Soapstone and Foidolite


Foidolite and Soapstone


Definition

Definition
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc   
Foidolite is a rare type of coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock with a feldspathoid mineral content greater than 60%   

History
  
  

Origin
USA   
Unknown   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap   
From the mineral feldspathoid which is the main content of rock   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Plutonic   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Polished   
Earthy   

Color
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey   
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White   

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   
Dull   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium   
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture   
Artifacts, 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)   
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Host Rock for Lead   
Host Rock for Lead   

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   
Absent   

Formation

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.   
Foidolites is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz   
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
CaO, Mg, MgO   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

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

Weathering
No   
No   

Types of Weathering
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Erosion
No   
No   

Types of Erosion
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
1   
1.5   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
Black   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Very Less Porous   

Luster
Greasy   
Subvitreous to Dull   

Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm2   
7
Not Available   

Cleavage
Perfect   
Perfect   

Toughness
1   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.86   
2.86   

Transparency
Opaque   
Translucent   

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   
Not Available   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K   
13
Not Available   

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa   
South Africa, Western Africa   

Europe
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom   
Not Yet Found   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Colombia   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland   
Central Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Soapstone and Foidolite Properties

Know all about Soapstone and Foidolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Foidolite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Foidolite is Earthy. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Foidolite appears Dull. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Foidolite is subvitreous to dull. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Foidolite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, 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 Foidolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.

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