Definition
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
Discoverer
Unknown
Ferdinand von Richthofen
Etymology
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Polished
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
Color
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
Grey, White, Light Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Banded
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
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Construction Industry
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
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Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry
Types
Metamorphic rock
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
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.
Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock and due to its high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous and is volcanic equivalent of granite.
Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
CaO, Mg, MgO
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
-
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
-
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Sub-conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.65-2.67
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand
China, India
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Colombia
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Soapstone vs Rhyolite 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 Rhyolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Soapstone and Properties of Rhyolite. Learn more about Soapstone vs Rhyolite in the next section. The interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Rhyolite include Decorative aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Soapstone and Rhyolite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Soapstone in construction industry include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Rhyolite include Arrowheads, As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Knives.
More about Soapstone and Rhyolite
Here you can know more about Soapstone and Rhyolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Soapstone and Rhyolite 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 Rhyolite includes Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Soapstone vs Rhyolite, 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, Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors. Appearance of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Rhyolite is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Soapstone vs Rhyolite. The hardness of Soapstone is 1 and that of Rhyolite is 6-7. The types of Soapstone are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Rhyolite are Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.. 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 Rhyolite is . The specific heat capacity of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Rhyolite is 0.71 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 Rhyolite is heat resistant, wear resistant.