Soapstone

Taconite

Soapstone vs Taconite

Soapstone

Taconite

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Definition

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

Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica

History

Origin

USA

Western Australia, Minnesota

Discoverer

Unknown

Newton Horace Winchell

Etymology

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

From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Polished

Banded, Trellis

Color

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Red, Reddish Brown

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

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)

As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

Metamorphic rock

Iron formation

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Is one of the oldest 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.

Taconite is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. When the river reaches a lake or sea, its load of transported rocks settles or deposits at the bottom of sea or lake.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz

Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO

Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

15.5-6

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Large and Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

Black

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Greasy

Earthy

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²190.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.865-5.3

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K3.20 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure 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

China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

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

Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Canada, Mexico, USA

South America

Colombia

Bolivia, Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

Soapstone vs Taconite 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 Taconite Reserves. It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc. Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica. 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 Taconite information and Soapstone vs Taconite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Soapstone vs Taconite 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 Taconite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Soapstone and Properties of Taconite. Learn more about Soapstone vs Taconite in the next section. The interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Taconite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Soapstone and Taconite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Soapstone in construction industry include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Taconite include As dimension stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..

More about Soapstone and Taconite

Here you can know more about Soapstone and Taconite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Soapstone and Taconite 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 Taconite includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Soapstone vs Taconite, 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, Taconite is available in red, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Taconite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Soapstone vs Taconite. The hardness of Soapstone is 1 and that of Taconite is 5.5-6. The types of Soapstone are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Taconite are Iron formation. 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 Taconite is white. The specific heat capacity of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Taconite is 3.20 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 Taconite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.