Soapstone

Schist

Soapstone and Schist

Soapstone

Schist

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1 Definition

1.1 Definition

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

Schist is a medium grade metamorphic rock with medium to large, flat, sheet like grains in a preferred orientation

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

USA

Unknown

1.2.2 Discoverer

Unknown

1.3 Etymology

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

From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split

1.4 Class

Metamorphic Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Not Applicable

1.6 Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

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

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Polished

Foliated, Platy

2.2 Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Black, Blue, Brown, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Silver

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

81% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

81% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

65% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

65% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

42% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

42% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

19% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

19% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

15% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

15% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.5 Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Layered and Shiny

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Not Yet Used

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Used in aquariums, Writing Slates

4 Types

4.1 Types

Not Available

Mica Schists, Calc-Silicate Schists, Graphite Schists, Blueschists, Whiteschists, Greenschists, Hornblende Schist, Talc Schist, Chlorite Schist, Garnet Schist, Glaucophane schist.

4.2 Features

Host Rock for Lead

Easily splits into thin plates, Smooth to touch

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Used

Not Yet Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

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

Not Applicable

4.3.3 Sculpture

Used

Not Yet Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

4.3.5 Pictographs

Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Used

Not Yet Used

4.4 Fossils

Absent

5 Formation

5.1 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.

Schist formed by dynamic metamorphism at high temperatures and pressures that aligns the grains of mica, hornblende and other elongated minerals into thin layers.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

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

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

5.2.2 Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

50% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

50% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

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

Not Applicable

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

65% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

65% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Not Applicable

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

77% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

77% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Not Applicable

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

3.5-4

6.1.2 Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Conchoidal

6.1.4 Streak

Black

White

6.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Greasy

Shiny

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

What Is Flint

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225.00 N/mm²

Rank: 7 (Overall)▶

Not Available

Rank: N/A (Overall)▶

▲

What Is Obsidian

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▶

175 (What Is Grani..)

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6.1.8 Cleavage

Perfect

Slaty

6.1.9 Toughness

1.5

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

2.86

2.5-2.9

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

6.1.12 Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

What Is Banded ..

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▶

▼

0.88 kJ/Kg K

Rank: 13 (Overall)▶

Not Available

Rank: N/A (Overall)▶

▲

What Is Granulite

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▶

1.09 (What Is Trave..)

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6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 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

7.1.2 Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa

7.1.3 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

7.1.4 Others

Not Yet Found

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

Canada, USA

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

7.2.2 South America

Colombia

Brazil, Colombia, Guyana

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland

All about Soapstone and Schist Properties

Know all about Soapstone and Schist properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone and Schist belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Schist is Foliated, Platy. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Schist appears Layered and Shiny. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Schist is shiny. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Schist is available in black, blue, brown, dark brown, green, grey, silver 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 Schist are used in aquariums, writing slates.