Characteristics of Soapstone:

Chemical Name: Magnesium silicate hydrate

Formula: Mg3Si4O10(OH)2

Colors: White, colorless, green, yellow to brown

Structure: Triclinic to monoclinic

Hardness: varies

Specific Gravity: 2.8

Refractive Index: 1.54-1.59

Lustre: Pearly to greasy

Streak: White

Locations: USA, Canada, Germany, China

What is Soapstone? 

Far into prehistory, soapstone was used for carvings, ornaments, and utensils. Flint aside, it may be mankind’s oldest lapidary material. Today, translucent, light green talc soapstone carvings are widely sold in China, lacquered to improve their hardness and color, and to make them appear more like jade. The name soapstone is used to describe compact masses of various minerals that have a soapy or greasy feel, the most common of which is talc. A dense, high-purity talc called steatite is sought after for carving.