Soapstone

Description : Soapstone is also known as steatite or soap rock. It is a metamorphic rock which is main rock among igneous and sedimentary rock which is formatted by high heat and pressure. It is magnesium silicate mineral. Owing to its softness, it is easy to carve. It is a form of talc. The name Soapstone is result of smoothness as talc and soap. It's a soft heavy compact variety with talc and soap feels. Soapstone is steatite, precious stone. Alkalis and acids can not affect soapstone. This is major quality of soapstone.
Occurrence
Australia Brazil England India Israel Japan Mongolia Scotland United States

Uses of Soapstone

In Architectural : Due to great feature of stain-resistant and water-resistant, Its ideal for architectural application like pillars, bricks, interior walls, sculptures, laboratory structures, staircases, architecture material, tile flooring. It will not affect by alkyls and acids. Building blocks are one of the main features of soapstone.
In Artistic : Due to easy carving quality of soapstone, It commonly used in sculptures, carving materials tools, carafes, vases, goblets, sculptures, fireplaces, wine coolers, snooker tables, sauna oven stones, ornamentation, spark screens, flues, ceramics, pulverized utensils, and speaker housings.
Domestic Use : Because unaffected by heat and resistance of gems, it widely use in kitchen and bathrooms. It is perfect for Wood stoves, cookware, and pipes, bathroom furnishings, kitchen structures. It is greatly use for kitchen spaces and fireplace liners, some fireplaces, bathtubs, sinks and counter tops.
Other : Other benefits facades, portals, concrete elements, mosaic flooring, windowsills, furnishings, laboratory structures
Fire Place : Due to unaffected by heat, It is widely used for cook-tops, cookware, and oven baking decks, masonry heater fireplaces, wood stoves, fireplace liners and pizza ovens.

Physical Properties of Soapstone

Color :	Available in gray to green to blue, and charcoal gray
Hardness :	On Moh's scale hardness from 1 to 5.5 – 6.5
Density :	2,980 kg/m³
Comprehensive strength :	Compressive strength of soapstone is 25.0 MN/mg.
Porosity :	Low
Water absorption :	Less than 0.1

Chemical Composition

Minerals such as Silica, Alumina, Calcium oxide, Iron oxide, Soda and potash, Mica, Red Oxide, and Chalk etc are the composer of soapstone.
Silica (SiO₂) :	45.0%
Alumina (Al₂O₃) :	38.0%
Iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) :	0.6%
Soda (NaO) and Potash (KO₂) :	0.07%
Lime (CaO) :	0.06%
Magnesia (MgO) :	0.07%