Soapstone, Formation, Application, Soapstone Reserves in India
09-01-2025
09:30 AM
1 min read

Overview:
Recently, the Uttarakhand High Court pulled up the authorities for unregulated soapstone mining in Bageshwar, a district with more than 160 mines at present.
About Soapstone:
- It is also known as Steatite.
- It is a metamorphic rock made of talc, a naturally occurring mineral, and is used in construction and design for countertops, sinks, hearths, and sculptures.
- Depending on the quarry from which it is sourced, this natural stone also contains varying amounts of other minerals such as micas, chlorite, amphiboles, quartz, magnesite, and carbonates.
- How Does Soapstone Form?
- Soapstone most often forms at convergent plate boundaries where broad areas of Earth’s crust are subjected to heat and directed pressure.
- Peridotites, dunites, and serpentinites in this environment can be metamorphosed into soapstone.
- On a smaller scale, soapstone can form where siliceous dolostones are altered by hot, chemically active fluids in a process known as metasomatism.
- Properties: It is a relatively soft, very dense, highly heat-resistant material.
- Major producing countries: China, India, Brazil, USA and Finland
- Major reserves in India: According to the Indian Bureau of Mines, the states of Rajasthan (57%) and Uttarakhand (25%) boast substantial reserves of soapstone in India.
- Applications
- Soapstone in powdered form, often combined with corn starch, is used as baby powder.
- This mineral is used as a thickening agent and lubricant; is an ingredient in ceramics, paint, and roofing material; and is a main ingredient in many cosmetics.
- Talc is used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other industries.

Q1: What are minerals?
These are naturally occurring homogeneous solid with a definite chemical composition and a highly ordered atomic arrangement; it is usually formed by inorganic processes.
Source: IE