Soapstone

Oolite

Soapstone vs Oolite

Soapstone

Oolite

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Definition

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

Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite

History

Origin

USA

Discoverer

Unknown

William Smith

Etymology

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

From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Polished

Clastic or Non-Clastic

Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Rounded and Rough

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping

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)

Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums

Types

Metamorphic rock

Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained 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

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.

Oolites form when layers of calcite are deposited around a sand grain or fossil piece and are rolled around in calm water, which makes them round.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt

Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

13-4

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

Black

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Greasy

Pearly to Shiny

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²40.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.86-9999

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.65 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat 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

Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Europe

Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula

Soapstone vs Oolite 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 Oolite Reserves. It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc. Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite. 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 Oolite information and Soapstone vs Oolite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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

More about Soapstone and Oolite

Here you can know more about Soapstone and Oolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Soapstone and Oolite 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 Oolite includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Soapstone vs Oolite, 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, Oolite is available in black, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, silver, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Oolite is Rounded and Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Soapstone vs Oolite. The hardness of Soapstone is 1 and that of Oolite is 3-4. The types of Soapstone are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Oolite are Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite. 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 Oolite is white. The specific heat capacity of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Oolite is 0.65 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 Oolite is heat resistant, wear resistant.