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Soapstone and Gneiss


Gneiss and Soapstone


Definition

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   
Unknown   

Discoverer
Unknown   
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   
Metamorphic Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

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

Texture

Texture
Polished   
Banded, Foliated, Platy   

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

Maintenance
Less   
More   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
No   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
No   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

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   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   
As Dimension Stone   

Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium   
Not Yet Used   

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

Types
Not Available   
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
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire   
Konark Sun Temple in India, Washington Monument, US   

Sculpture
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Pictographs
Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Not Yet 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.   
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
Yes   
Yes   

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

Weathering
No   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Not Applicable   
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
No   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Not Applicable   
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/mm2   
7
125.00 N/mm2   
17

Cleavage
Perfect   
Poor   

Toughness
1   
1.2   

Specific Gravity
2.86   
2.5-2.7   

Transparency
Opaque   
Translucent to Opaque   

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   
2.6-2.9 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K   
13
Not Available   

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
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

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   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

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.

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