Soapstone

Ijolite

Soapstone and Ijolite

Soapstone

Ijolite

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Definition

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

Ijolite is an intrusive igneous rock which is composed mainly of nepheline and an alkali pyroxene, usually aegirine-augite

History

Origin

USA

Finland, Europe

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From the first syllable of the Finnish words Ii-vaara, Iijoki, &c. commonly used geographical names in Finland, and the Gr. Xiflos, a stone

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Polished

Earthy, Granular

Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

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, Creating Artwork

Types

Metamorphic rock

Alkaline rock

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

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

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.

Ijolite 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

Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite

Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

15.5-6

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Conchoidal to Uneven

Streak

Black

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Greasy

Greasy to Dull

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²190.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.862.6-2.76

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.6 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact 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

Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

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

England, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

All about Soapstone and Ijolite Properties

Know all about Soapstone and Ijolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Ijolite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Ijolite is Earthy, Granular. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Ijolite appears Banded and Foilated. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Ijolite is greasy to dull. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Ijolite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Soapstone and Ijolite are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, production of lime, source of magnesia (mgo).