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Soapstone and Gritstone


Gritstone and Soapstone


Definition

Definition
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc   
Gritstone or grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone   

History
  
  

Origin
USA   
Pennines, England   

Discoverer
Unknown   
J.J. Ferber   

Etymology
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap   
From Grit + Stone   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Sedimentary 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, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Polished   
Earthy   

Color
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey   
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

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   
Layered and Foliated   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   
Construction Aggregate, Roadstone   

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

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)   
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Host Rock for Lead   
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough 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   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Present   

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.   
Gritstone is a type of sedimentary rock which was formed on the floors of wide river deltas where the grit deposits were laid down, with every tide or flood dumping another layer of sediment.   

Composition
  
  

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

Compound Content
CaO, Mg, MgO   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide   

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, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
No   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Not Applicable   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
1   
6-7   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
Black   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Greasy   
Dull   

Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm2   
7
70.00 N/mm2   
24

Cleavage
Perfect   
Perfect   

Toughness
1   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.86   
2.250   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   
2.2 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K   
13
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact 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   
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan   

Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa   
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa   

Europe
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom   
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Colombia   
Brazil   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland   
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Soapstone and Gritstone Properties

Know all about Soapstone and Gritstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Gritstone belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Gritstone is Earthy. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Gritstone appears Layered and Foliated. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Gritstone is dull. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Gritstone is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, 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 Gritstone are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones.

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