Soapstone

Laterite

Soapstone and Laterite

Soapstone

Laterite

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Definition

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

Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas

History

Origin

USA

India

Discoverer

Unknown

Francis Buchanan-Hamilton

Etymology

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

From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Polished

Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic

Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Brown, Buff, Red

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Rough and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

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, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums

Types

Metamorphic rock

Laterite

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained 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

Present

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.

Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

Black

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Greasy

Dull

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²5.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.86-9999

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat 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

India

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

East Africa, Western Africa

Europe

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

England, Romania, Scotland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Soapstone and Laterite Properties

Know all about Soapstone and Laterite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Laterite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Laterite is Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Laterite appears Rough and Banded. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Laterite is dull. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Laterite is available in brown, buff, red 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 Laterite are an oil and gas reservoir, source of bauxite, used in aquariums.