Soapstone and Ignimbrite

Soapstone

Ignimbrite

Definition

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

Ignimbrite is a volcanic rock consisting mainly of pumice fragments, formed by the consolidation of material deposited by pyroclastic flows

History

Origin

USA

New Zealand

Discoverer

Unknown

Patrick Marshall

Etymology

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

From Latin ignis fire + imber, imbr- shower of rain, storm cloud + -ite

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Polished

Aphanitic

Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Beige, Black, Brown, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Dull, Vesicular and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

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

Not Available

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

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

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Used

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.

Ignimbrites are formed from very poorly sorted mixture of volcanic ash or tuff and pumice lapilli, commonly with scattered lithic fragments.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

Ca, NaCl

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

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

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

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Not Applicable

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Not Applicable

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

4-6

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Uneven

Streak

Black

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Greasy

Vitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²

243.80 N/mm²

Cleavage

Perfect

Not Available

Toughness

Not Available

Specific Gravity

2.86

2.73

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³

1-1.8 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.20 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure 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

Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Europe

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

France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Antarctica, Hawaii Islands

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA

South America

Colombia

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

Central Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Soapstone and Ignimbrite Properties

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