Definition
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc
Talc carbonate is nothing but a rock sequence or a mineral composition found in metamorphic ultramafic rocks.
History
Origin
USA
China, USA, Middle east
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap
From medieval Latin, talcum
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Family
Group
-
-
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Polished
Very Soft
Color
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
Grey, White
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Soft
Architecture
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Powder
Industry
Construction Industry
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Source of calcium
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
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)
Manufacturing of baby powder
Types
Metamorphic rock
Sedimentary rock
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Host Rock for Lead
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
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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Talc Carbonate is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Composition
Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Carbonate, Chlorite, Magnesium
Compound Content
CaO, Mg, MgO
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
-
-
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
-
-
Physical Properties
Hardness
11-2
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Flat
Streak
Black
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Greasy
Pearly
Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm2250.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
Perfect
Perfect
Toughness
1
1
Specific Gravity
2.862.86
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm32.8-2.9 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
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
-
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Ethiopia, Ghana, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
England
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Colombia
Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia