Definition
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc
  
Tachylite is a vitreous form of basaltic volcanic glass. This glass is formed naturally by the rapid cooling of molten basalt
  
History
  
  
Origin
USA
  
Iceland
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap
  
From German Tachylite, from tachy- + Greek lutos soluble, melting
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Volcanic
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Polished
  
Vitreous
  
Color
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
  
Black, Dark Brown
  
Maintenance
Less
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
  
Glassy
  
Architecture
  
  
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, Paving Stone
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
  
Cutting Tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers
  
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
  
Not Yet Used
  
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)
  
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Features
Host Rock for Lead
  
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, NA
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Monuments
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
  
Not Applicable
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
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.
  
Tachylite 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
  
Feldspar, Olivine
  
Compound Content
CaO, Mg, MgO
  
Fe, Mg
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional 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, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
1
  
5.5
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
Black
  
Vermilion
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Greasy
  
Resinous
  
Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm
2
  
7
206.00 N/mm
2
  
8
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Not Available
  
Toughness
1
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.86
  
2.4
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
  
3.058 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K
  
13
0.56 kJ/Kg K
  
22
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand
  
Cambodia, Russia, South Korea
  
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
  
East Africa
  
Europe
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
England, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Hawaii Islands
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
USA
  
South America
Colombia
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
  
Victoria
  
Soapstone vs Tachylite 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 Tachylite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Soapstone and Properties of Tachylite. Learn more about Soapstone vs Tachylite in the next section. The interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Tachylite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Soapstone and Tachylite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Soapstone in construction industry include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Tachylite include Cutting tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers.
More about Soapstone and Tachylite
Here you can know more about Soapstone and Tachylite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Soapstone and Tachylite 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 Tachylite includes Feldspar, Olivine. You can also check out the list of all . When we have to compare Soapstone vs Tachylite, 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, Tachylite is available in black, dark brown colors. Appearance of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Tachylite is Glassy. Properties of rock is another aspect for Soapstone vs Tachylite. The hardness of Soapstone is 1 and that of Tachylite is 5.5. The types of Soapstone are Not Available whereas types of Tachylite 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 Tachylite is vermilion. The specific heat capacity of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Tachylite is 0.56 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 Tachylite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.