Whiteschist

Soapstone

Whiteschist and Soapstone

Whiteschist

Soapstone

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Definition

Whiteschist is an uncommon rock type belonging to a class of metamorphic rock, this is formed at high-ultra-high pressures

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

History

Origin

Tasmania

USA

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split

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

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated

Polished

Color

Green, Grey, White

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Banded and Foilated

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

for Road Aggregate

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Production of Lime

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Metamorphic rock

Features

High percentage of mica, Host Rock for Lead

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

Formation

Whiteschist is formed by dynamic metamorphism at high temperatures and pressures that aligns the grains of mica, hornblende and other elongated minerals into thin layers.

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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Carbonate, Coesite, Quartz, Silica

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

Compound Content

CaO, Mg, MgO, Silicon Dioxide

CaO, Mg, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

1.51

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine to Medium Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Black

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Greasy

Compressive Strength

200.00 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.862.86

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

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

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Guyana

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

All about Whiteschist and Soapstone Properties

Know all about Whiteschist and Soapstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Whiteschist and Soapstone belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Whiteschist is Foliated whereas that of Soapstone is Polished. Whiteschist appears Banded and Foilated and Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Whiteschist is subvitreous to dull while that of Soapstone is greasy. Whiteschist is available in green, grey, white colors whereas Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Whiteschist are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, production of lime and that of Soapstone are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, production of lime, source of magnesia (mgo).