The mineral Talc information and pictures - Minerals.net

Talc is known for being the softest mineral on earth. It is number 1 on the Mohs hardness scale, and can be easily scratched by a fingernail.   Minerals.net   CompleteInformationGuidetoRocks,Minerals,&Gemstones Minerals Minerals&Varieties ViewAllMinerals ViewbyAlphabeticalOrder VarietiesandOtherNames MineralSearch FilterMinerals FilterbyChemicalGroup FilterbyColor FilterbyStreak FilterbyHardness FilterbyCrystalGroup MostVisitedMinerals Quartz Diamond Pyrite Gold Fluorite Amethyst Gypsum Calcite Galena Talc Gemstones Gemstones ViewAllGemstones GemstoneVarieties ThisMonth'sBirthstone Ruby GemstonesByColor Metallic White Colorless Blue Red Green Yellow Orange Pink Purple Banded Multicolored MostVisitedGemstones Ruby Sapphire Topaz Agate Garnet Quartz Tourmaline Jasper Zircon Emerald Research WhatisaRock&WhatisaMineral MineralProperties Color Streak Hardness SpecificGravity Luster Cleavage,Fracture Tenacity ChemicalPropertiesofMinerals Birthstones Top5TipsforDiamondBuying TrendsinMineralCollecting AllResearchTopics Q&A ViewPostedQuestions AskAQuestion MostPopularQuestions NewestQuestions News NewsBlog TwitterNewsFeed FollowusonPinterest Glossary PhotoGallery GalleryHome MineralPhotoGallery GemstonePhotoGallery Videos ViewAllVideos ViewMinerals.netVideos ViewOurYouTubeChannel Directory AddYourFreeListing Gemstones MineralDealers OnlineReferenceSites MineralPublications Museums GemstoneBlogs GemstoneShow     AdvertisingInformation TheMineraltalc Talcisknownforbeingthesoftestmineralonearth.Itisnumber1ontheMohshardnessscale,andcanbeeasilyscratchedbyafingernail.Talcisnotcommonlyseenincollections,asitisusuallyuninterestingandfairlycommon,althoughafewdeeplycoloredandcrystallizedexamplesareknownandwellsoughtafter.AlsoverypopulararetheTalcpseudomorphs.Talcformssomeveryinterestingpseudomorphsaftermanydifferentminerals,andcertainlocalitiesareknownforthespecificmineralsreplacedbyTalc.HealthconcernsincludingararerespiratorydiseaseareknowntobeassociatedwithTalcinitspowderform.AlthoughsolidformsofTalcareassumedtobesafe,andmostconcernsareonlyafterprolongedexposure,itisadvisabletowashhandsafterhandlingTalc. ChemicalFormula Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 Composition Basicmagnesiumsilicate Color White,beige,gray,yellow,brown,pink,purple,blue,green.Rarelycolorless. Streak White Hardness 1 CrystalSystem Monoclinic CrystalFormsandAggregates Mostoftenaslargedistortedmassesandfoliatedsheetsandplates.Alsomicaceous,radiating,botryoidal,andinfibrousmasses.Crystallizedexamples,whichincludeflattabularcrystals,arerareandarealmostalwaysmicroscopic.Talcverycommonlypseudomorphsaftermanyminerals,assumingtheiroriginalshape.SomemineralscommonlypseudomorphedareQuartz,Calcite,Dolomite,andPyroxenes. Transparency Transparenttoopaque SpecificGravity 2.7 - 2.8 Luster Greasy,waxy,pearly Cleavage 1,1 Fracture Uneven Tenacity Sectile OtherIDMarks 1)Hasagreasyfeel.2)Maybelightlyfluorescent. InGroup Silicates;Phyllosilicates StrikingFeatures Lowhardnessandgreasyfeel Environment Inmetamorphicrocks,especiallySerpentinedeposits. RockType Metamorphic Popularity(1-4) 2 Prevalence(1-3) 1 Demand(1-3) 1 TalcAUCTIONS VARIETIES Soapstone  -  RockformedmostlyofTalcandwithsmallamountsofChloriteandpyroxenes.ThetermSoapstonemayalsobeusedtodescribeamassiveformofTalc.Soapstoneisusedinornamentalcarvingsandtilings. Steatite  -  MassiveformofTalc. USES Talcisaveryimportantindustrialmineral.Talciscrushedintopowdertoformtalcumpowder,whichisthemainingredientinmanycosmeticsaswellassomebabypowders.Talcumpowderwasalsousedasafillertopreventslippinginlatexgloves,althoughitsuseisbeingreplacedwithcornstarchwhichissaferforinhalation.Talcishighlyresistancetoheatandelectricity,andisthereforeusedinelectronicsandasaninsulator.Itisalsoafillermaterialforpaints,rubberandinsecticides.Talcisalsousedasanornamentalstone,beingcarvedintofigures,jewelryboxes,tiling,andartsculptures.Sinceitissosoft,itisveryeasilycutandcarved. NOTEWORTHYLOCALITIES Talcisanimportantaccessorymineralandcanbefoundworldwide.CrystallizedTalcinverysmallcrystalscomesfromtheTrimounsTalcMine,Luzenac,France;andfromBrosso,Lessolo,Italy.ExcellentTalcpseudomorphs,especiallyafterQuartz,arefamousfromtheJohannesMineinGöpfersgrün,Bavaria,Germany.TalcpseudomorphsafterEnstatitecomefromBamble,Telemark,Norway;andTalcpseudomorphsafterDolomitefromtheRespinaMine,PuebladeLillo,Spain.ExcellentTalcspecimensandpseudomorphscomefromBrumado,Bahia,Brazil.IntheU.S.,arerareformofgreencrystallizedTalccomesfromtheVermontVerdeAntiqueQuarry,Rochester,WindsorCo.,Vermont.WindsorCo.alsocontainstwootherimportantTalcdepositsatChesterandLudlow.GoodTalcalsocomesfromtheSerpentinebeltontheStateLineDistrictofPennsylvaniaandMaryland,especiallyatPilot,CecilCo.,Maryland.InNorthCarolina,nicefoliatedgreenTalccomesfromtheGreenMountainMine,DayBook,YanceyCo.IntheCyprusMine,Ennis,MadisonCounty,Montana,whiteTalcisfoundwithblackdendriticmanganeseoxidegrowthsincludedintheTalc,andthesearesometimessawnintoslabforcollectors. COMMONMINERALASSOCIATIONS Serpentine,Dolomite,Magnesite,Actinolite,Olivine,Calcite,Magnetite,Brucite DISTINGUISHINGSIMILARMINERALS TalcmaybesimilartosomefoliatedformsofSerpentine,butitsverylowhardnesscandistinguishit.Chloriteandthemicaslackagreasyfeelandareharder. talcPHOTOS   ADDITIONALRESOURCES Mindat.org TheMineralGallery(AmethystGalleries) MineralogyDatabase(DavidBarthelmy)   DISCUSSIONViewForum|PosttoForum HaveaquestionaboutTalc?VisitourQ&ACommunityandasktheexperts! PAGESPONSOR   Tosponsorthispage,clickhere. Letusknowhowwecanupdatethispage (Clickformoredetails) Westriveforaccuratecontentandlocalityinformation.Ifyoufeelanyofthecontentisincorrect,orifyoufeelwearemissingvitallocalityinformation,pleasefillouttheformbelowsowecanupdatethesite.Ifyouarerequestingalocalitybeadded,pleaseonlyincludesignificantlocalityoccurencesforthemineral.     AmazonSupplyStore Hammers,Chisels,Loupes,Cotton-filledboxes,etc. RecommendedReading OurRecommendedBookSelectionatAmazon.com SupportMinerals.net FinancialDonationsandCollectionAcquisitions   MineralInformation GemstoneInformation Q&ACommunity Mineral&GemstoneResearch MineralPhotoGallery GemstonePhotoGallery GlossaryofTerms MineralNews MineralVideos MineralVarieties&Synonyms GemVarieties&TradeNames Minerals.netAdvertising