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Soapstone vs Nephelinite


Nephelinite vs Soapstone


Definition

Definition
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc   
Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).   

History
  
  

Origin
USA   
Brazil   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap   
from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Plutonic   

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

Texture

Texture
Polished   
Aphanitic   

Color
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey   
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
No   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
No   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated   
Skeletal   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   

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, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Peralkaline Nephelinite   

Features
Host Rock for Lead   
Host Rock for Lead   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

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.   
Nephelinite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.   

Composition
  
  

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

Compound Content
CaO, Mg, MgO   
Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

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

Weathering
No   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Not Applicable   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
No   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Not Applicable   
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
1   
6.5   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Flat   

Streak
Black   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Greasy   
Vitreous to Metallic   

Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm2   
7
35.00 N/mm2   
29

Cleavage
Perfect   
Imperfect   

Toughness
1   
2.7   

Specific Gravity
2.86   
2.4-2.9   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   
2.5-3 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

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

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   
Japan   

Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa   
Rwanda, Tanzania   

Europe
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom   
Not Yet Found   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Hawaii Islands   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Colombia   
Colombia   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland   
Not Yet Found   

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Soapstone vs Nephelinite 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 Nephelinite Reserves. It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc. Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).. 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 Nephelinite information and Soapstone vs Nephelinite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Soapstone vs Nephelinite 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 Nephelinite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Soapstone and Properties of Nephelinite. Learn more about Soapstone vs Nephelinite in the next section. The interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Nephelinite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Soapstone and Nephelinite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Soapstone in construction industry include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Nephelinite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Soapstone and Nephelinite

Here you can know more about Soapstone and Nephelinite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Soapstone and Nephelinite 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 Nephelinite includes Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Soapstone vs Nephelinite, 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, Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Nephelinite is Skeletal. Properties of rock is another aspect for Soapstone vs Nephelinite. The hardness of Soapstone is 1 and that of Nephelinite is 6.5. The types of Soapstone are Not Available whereas types of Nephelinite are Peralkaline Nephelinite. 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 Nephelinite is white. The specific heat capacity of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Nephelinite is 0.88 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 Nephelinite is heat resistant.

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