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Soapstone and Taconite


Taconite and Soapstone


Definition

Definition
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc  
Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica  

History
  
  

Origin
USA  
Western Australia, Minnesota  

Discoverer
Unknown  
Newton Horace Winchell  

Etymology
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap  
From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England  

Class
Metamorphic Rocks  
Sedimentary Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
-  
-  

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  

Texture

Texture
Polished  
Banded, Trellis  

Color
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey  
Red, Reddish Brown  

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Scratch Resistant
No  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
No  
No  

Wind Resistant
No  
Yes  

Acid Resistant
No  
No  

Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated  
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration  
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration  

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing  
Curbing  

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories  
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.  

Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium  
-  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture  
Artifacts  

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)  
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork  

Types

Types
Metamorphic rock  
Iron formation  

Features
Host Rock for Lead  
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  
Present  

Formation

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.   
Taconite is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. When the river reaches a lake or sea, its load of transported rocks settles or deposits at the bottom of sea or lake.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz  
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz  

Compound Content
CaO, Mg, MgO  
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide  

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes  
No  

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism  
-  

Weathering
No  
Yes  

Types of Weathering
-  
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  

Erosion
No  
Yes  

Types of Erosion
-  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
1  
5.5-6  

Grain Size
Fine Grained  
Large and Coarse Grained  

Fracture
Conchoidal  
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal  

Streak
Black  
White  

Porosity
Less Porous  
Highly Porous  

Luster
Greasy  
Earthy  

Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm2  
8
190.00 N/mm2  
15

Cleavage
Perfect  
-  

Toughness
1  
1.5  

Specific Gravity
2.86  
5-5.3  

Transparency
Opaque  
Translucent to Opaque  

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3  
-9999 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K  
13
3.20 kJ/Kg K  
1

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, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam  

Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa  
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania  

Europe
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom  
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom  

Others
-  
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA  
Canada, Mexico, USA  

South America
Colombia  
Bolivia, Brazil  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Soapstone and Taconite Properties

Know all about Soapstone and Taconite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Taconite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Soapstone is Polished whereas that of Taconite is Banded, Trellis. Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Taconite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Soapstone is greasy while that of Taconite is earthy. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas Taconite is available in red, reddish brown 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 Taconite are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork.

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