Definition
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, 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
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
-
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)
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Types
Metamorphic rock
Cataclastic rock
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Host Rock for Lead
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. Pseudotachylite 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
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Compound Content
CaO, Mg, MgO
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
Black
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.46-2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand
South Korea
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Western Africa
Europe
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Great Britain, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
Central Australia, Western Australia
Soapstone vs Pseudotachylite 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 Pseudotachylite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Soapstone and Properties of Pseudotachylite. Learn more about Soapstone vs Pseudotachylite in the next section. The interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Pseudotachylite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Soapstone and Pseudotachylite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Soapstone in construction industry include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Pseudotachylite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement.
More about Soapstone and Pseudotachylite
Here you can know more about Soapstone and Pseudotachylite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Soapstone and Pseudotachylite 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 Pseudotachylite includes Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Soapstone vs Pseudotachylite, 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, Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Pseudotachylite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Soapstone vs Pseudotachylite. The hardness of Soapstone is 1 and that of Pseudotachylite is 7. The types of Soapstone are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Pseudotachylite are Cataclastic rock. 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 Pseudotachylite is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Pseudotachylite is 0.92 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 Pseudotachylite is heat resistant.