Definition
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc
Minette is a variety of Lamprophyre and is porphyritic alkaline igneous rock which is mainly dominated by biotite and potassic feldspar
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap
From French mine ore, mine + ette
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Plutonic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Polished
Porphyritic
Color
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Not Available
Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
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.
Minette formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface at around 150 to 450 kms, and are erupted rapidly and violently.
Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
CaO, Mg, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
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, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Greasy
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Perfect
Conchoidal
Toughness
1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand
Russia
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Colombia
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Soapstone vs Minette 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 Minette characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Soapstone and Properties of Minette. Learn more about Soapstone vs Minette in the next section. The interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Minette include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Soapstone and Minette, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Soapstone in construction industry include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Minette include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Soapstone and Minette
Here you can know more about Soapstone and Minette. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Soapstone and Minette 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 Minette includes Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Soapstone vs Minette, 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, Minette is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. Appearance of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Minette is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Soapstone vs Minette. The hardness of Soapstone is 1 and that of Minette is 5-6. The types of Soapstone are Not Available whereas types of Minette are Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite. 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 Minette is white. The specific heat capacity of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Minette is Not Available. 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 Minette is heat resistant, impact resistant.