Soapstone

Serpentinite

Soapstone and Serpentinite

Soapstone

Serpentinite

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Definition

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

A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.

History

Origin

USA

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From English word serpentinization.

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Polished

Earthy

Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Rough and Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement

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)

Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Types

Metamorphic rock

Jadeitite

Features

Host Rock for Lead

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.

Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Serpentinite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides

Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

13-5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Uneven

Streak

Black

White, Greenish White or Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Greasy

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²310.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.862.79-3

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.5-3 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.95 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Ethiopia, Western Africa

Europe

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

England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Canada

South America

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia

All about Soapstone and Serpentinite Properties

Know all about Soapstone and Serpentinite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone and Serpentinite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Serpentinite is Earthy. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Serpentinite appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Serpentinite is waxy and dull. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Serpentinite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white 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 Serpentinite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork.