Definition
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc
Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap
From German which means hornstone
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Polished
Granular, Platy
Color
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Dull
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
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Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Metamorphic rock
Biotite hornfels
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
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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. Hornfels is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Andalusite
Compound Content
CaO, Mg, MgO
Fe, Mg
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
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Types of Weathering
-
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
-
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.86
3.4-3.9
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
0.25-0.30 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Colombia
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Soapstone vs Hornfels 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 Hornfels characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Soapstone and Properties of Hornfels. Learn more about Soapstone vs Hornfels in the next section. The interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Hornfels include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Soapstone and Hornfels, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Soapstone in construction industry include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Hornfels include For road aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Soapstone and Hornfels
Here you can know more about Soapstone and Hornfels. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Soapstone and Hornfels 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 Hornfels includes Andalusite. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Soapstone vs Hornfels, 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, Hornfels is available in brown, dark greenish - grey, green, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Hornfels is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Soapstone vs Hornfels. The hardness of Soapstone is 1 and that of Hornfels is 2-3. The types of Soapstone are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Hornfels are Biotite hornfels. 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 Hornfels is . The specific heat capacity of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Hornfels is 0.84 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 Hornfels is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.