Definition
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc
Trachyte is a grey fine-grained volcanic rock which mainly consists of alkali feldspar
Discoverer
Unknown
Alexandre Brongniart and René Just Haüy
Etymology
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap
From Greek trakhus rough’ or trakhutēs roughness
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Polished
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
Black, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey, Light to Dark Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Banded
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, 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)
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
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.
Trachyte is an igneous volcanic rock with an aphanitic to porphyritic texture. It is the volcanic equivalent of syenite rock and forms as a result of magmatic differentiation.
Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz
Compound Content
CaO, Mg, MgO
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Not Available
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Cleavage
Perfect
Not Available
Toughness
1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.43-2.45 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
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
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
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
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Colombia
Brazil, Chile
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Soapstone vs Trachyte 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 Trachyte characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Soapstone and Properties of Trachyte. Learn more about Soapstone vs Trachyte in the next section. The interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Trachyte include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Soapstone and Trachyte, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Soapstone in construction industry include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Trachyte include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Soapstone and Trachyte
Here you can know more about Soapstone and Trachyte. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Soapstone and Trachyte 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 Trachyte includes Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Soapstone vs Trachyte, 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, Trachyte is available in black, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey, light to dark grey, white colors. Appearance of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Trachyte is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Soapstone vs Trachyte. The hardness of Soapstone is 1 and that of Trachyte is 6. The types of Soapstone are Not Available whereas types of Trachyte 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 Trachyte is white. The specific heat capacity of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Trachyte 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 Trachyte is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.
