TALC, SOAPSTONE AND STEATITE Indian Minerals Yearbook 2013 (Part- III : Mineral Reviews) 52nd Edition TALC, SOAPSTONE AND STEATITE (FINAL RELEASE) GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES INDIAN BUREAU OF MINES Indira Bhavan, Civil Lines, NAGPUR – 440 001 PHONE/FAX NO. (0712) 2565471 PBX : (0712) 2562649, 2560544, 2560648 E-MAIL :
[email protected] Website: www.ibm.gov.in July, 2015 47-1 TALC, SOAPSTONE AND STEATITE 47 Talc, Soapstone and Steatite alc is a hydrous magnesium silicate. In trade EXPLORATION & DEVELOPMENT Tparlance, talc often includes: (i) the mineral No exploration was carried out during the talc in the form of flakes and fibres; (ii) steatite, year 2012-13. the massive compact cryptocrystalline variety of high-grade talc; and (iii) soapstone, the massive PRODUCTION, STOCKS & talcose rock containing variable talc (usually 50%), which is soft and soapy in nature. PRICES Commercial talc may contain other minerals like The production of steatite in 2012-13 was quartz, calcite, dolomite, magnesite, serpentine, 939 thousand tonnes which decreased by about chlorite, tremolite and anthophyllite as impurities. 6% as compared to that in the previous year. The properties of talc that enables its use in a There were 133 reporting mines in 2012-13 as wide variety of applications are its extreme against 138 in the previous year. Besides softness & smoothness, good lustre & sheen, production of steatite was reported by nine high slip & lubricating property, low moisture mines as associated mineral in 2012-13 as against content, ability to absorb oil & grease, chemical eight mines in previous year. Ten principal inertness, high fusion point, low electrical & heat producers accounted for nearly 70% of the total conductivity, high dielectric strength, good production during 2012-13.