Soapstone

Gneiss

Soapstone and Gneiss

Soapstone

Gneiss

Add ⊕

Definition

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

Gneiss is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks

History

Origin

USA

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Polished

Banded, Foliated, Platy

Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Foliated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, 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 Dimension Stone

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)

Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums

Types

Metamorphic rock

Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

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

Konark Sun Temple in India, Washington Monument, US

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.

Gneiss is a high grade metamorphic rock i.e. it has been subjected to higher temperatures and pressures than schist. It is formed by the metamorphosis of Gneiss forms from volcanic rock, shale or granitie.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon

Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, MnO, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Impact Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Irregular

Streak

Black

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Greasy

Dull

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²125.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

1.2

Specific Gravity

2.862.5-2.7

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.6-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.70 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch 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

China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo

Europe

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

Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA

South America

Colombia

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria

All about Soapstone and Gneiss Properties

Know all about Soapstone and Gneiss properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone and Gneiss belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Gneiss is Banded, Foliated, Platy. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Gneiss appears Foliated. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Gneiss is dull. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Gneiss is available in black, brown, pink, red, 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 Gneiss are cemetery markers, jewelry, tombstones, used in aquariums.