Soapstone and Phyllite

Soapstone

Phyllite

Definition

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

Phyllite is a fine-grained metamorphic rock with a well-developed laminar structure, and is intermediate between slate and schist rocks

History

Origin

USA

Unknown

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From Greek phullon leaf + -ite1

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Polished

Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty

Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Black to Grey, Light Greenish Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Stain Resistant

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Crinkled or Wavy

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, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, 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)

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Writing Slates

Types

Not Available

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Not Yet Used

Famous Monuments

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

Not Applicable

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.

Phyllite is a metamorphic rock which is formed by regional metamorphism of argillaceous sediments since their cleavage arose due to deviatoric stress.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon

Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

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

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Not Applicable

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Not Applicable

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

1-2

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

Black

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Greasy

Phyllitic

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²

Not Available

Cleavage

Perfect

Crenulation and Pervasive

Toughness

1.2

Specific Gravity

2.86

2.72-2.73

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³

2.18-3.3 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K

Not Available

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

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

Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA

South America

Colombia

Brazil, Colombia, Guyana

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Soapstone and Phyllite Properties

Know all about Soapstone and Phyllite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone and Phyllite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Phyllite is Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Phyllite appears Crinkled or Wavy. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Phyllite is phyllitic. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Phyllite is available in black to grey, light greenish grey 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 Phyllite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, writing slates.