Definition
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc
Siltstone can be defined as a fine-grained sedimentary rock which mainly consists of consolidated silt
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap
From English word silt and stone and from Proto-Indo-European root sal and stainaz
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
Brown, Red, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Rough
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
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
Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, 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)
Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Soil Conditioner
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
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.
Siltstone is a type of sedimentary rock which is formed from fine rock particles. As the particles of eroded rock travel along with water, the edges of the rock are worn-out by water into a rounded shape.
Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz, Sand, Silica, Silt
Compound Content
CaO, Mg, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Perfect
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.54-2.73
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.6-2.7 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Colombia
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
New South Wales, New Zealand
Soapstone vs Siltstone 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 Siltstone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Soapstone and Properties of Siltstone. Learn more about Soapstone vs Siltstone in the next section. The interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Siltstone include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Soapstone and Siltstone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Soapstone in construction industry include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Siltstone include Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Soapstone and Siltstone
Here you can know more about Soapstone and Siltstone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Soapstone and Siltstone 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 Siltstone includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz, Sand, Silica, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Soapstone vs Siltstone, 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, Siltstone is available in brown, red, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Siltstone is Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Soapstone vs Siltstone. The hardness of Soapstone is 1 and that of Siltstone is 6-7. The types of Soapstone are Not Available whereas types of Siltstone are Not Available. 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 Siltstone is white. The specific heat capacity of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Siltstone 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 Siltstone is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant.