Soapstone

Quartzite

Soapstone and Quartzite

Soapstone

Quartzite

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Definition

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

Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone

History

Origin

USA

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From quartz + -ite

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Polished

Foliated, Granular

Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Lustrous

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes

Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, 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 armour rock for sea walls, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, In aquifers, Laboratory bench tops, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums

Types

Metamorphic rock

Orthoquartzite and Metaquartzite

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Generally rough to touch, 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.

Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz

Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

16-7

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

Black

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Greasy

Vitreous

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²115.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Perfect

Indiscernible

Toughness

1.9

Specific Gravity

2.862.6-2.8

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Transparent to Translucent

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.32-2.42 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.75 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

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

China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Europe

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

England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Bahamas, Canada, USA

South America

Colombia

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

All about Soapstone and Quartzite Properties

Know all about Soapstone and Quartzite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone and Quartzite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Quartzite is Foliated, Granular. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Quartzite appears Lustrous. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Quartzite is vitreous. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Quartzite is available in black, blue, brown, green, light grey, purple, 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 Quartzite are an oil and gas reservoir, as armour rock for sea walls, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, in aquifers, laboratory bench tops, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones, used in aquariums.