Soapstone

Chert

Soapstone vs Chert

Soapstone

Chert

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Definition

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

Chert is a hard, dark, opaque sedimentary rock which is composed of silica with an amorphous fine-grained texture

History

Origin

USA

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From flint-like quartz, 1670s, of unknown origin- a local term, which has been taken into geological use

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Polished

Banded, Rough

Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Glassy or Pearly

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments

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)

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms

Types

Metamorphic rock

Flint, Jasper, Radiolarite, Common Chert, Chalcedony, Agate, Onyx, Opal, Magadi-type Chert, Porcelanite, Siliceous Sinter

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate

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

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.

Chert forms when microcrystals of silicon dioxide grow within soft sediments that become limestone or chalk. The chert formation can be either of chemical or biological origin.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Quartz, Silicon

Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

16.5-7

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

Black

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Greasy

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²450.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.862.5-2.8

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.7 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.74 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, Iran, Japan, 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

Soapstone vs Chert Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Soapstone and Chert Reserves. It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc. Chert is a hard, dark, opaque sedimentary rock which is composed of silica with an amorphous fine-grained texture. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Soapstone vs Chert information and Soapstone vs Chert characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Soapstone vs Chert Characteristics

Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Soapstone vs Chert characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Soapstone and Properties of Chert. Learn more about Soapstone vs Chert in the next section. The interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Chert include Decorative aggregates and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Soapstone and Chert, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Soapstone in construction industry include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Chert include Arrowheads, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, Spear points.

More about Soapstone and Chert

Here you can know more about Soapstone and Chert. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Soapstone and Chert consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Soapstone includes Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz and mineral content of Chert includes Quartz, Silicon. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Soapstone vs Chert, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors whereas, Chert is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. Appearance of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Chert is Glassy or Pearly. Properties of rock is another aspect for Soapstone vs Chert. The hardness of Soapstone is 1 and that of Chert is 6.5-7. The types of Soapstone are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Chert are Flint, Jasper, Radiolarite, Common Chert, Chalcedony, Agate, Onyx, Opal, Magadi-type Chert, Porcelanite, Siliceous Sinter. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Soapstone is black while that of Chert is white. The specific heat capacity of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Chert is 0.74 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Soapstone is heat resistant, pressure resistant whereas Chert is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.