Hello Bill,
there are two types of stone, both commonly called
soapstone: Steatite: Gray in color, same hardness as the
softest marbles, harder than Talc(will explain next)
used for kitchen countertops, fireplaces, cooking pots,
etc. This stone also has a considerable presence of Talc
in it and it is called by many, soapstone.
Talc: Very soft, (1 on Mohs Scale), great color variety,
used mainly for carvings , and also crushed to become
your everyday products like baby powder, toothpaste,
etc. Also called by many, soapstone. For picture samples
and more info on these stones, please visit
www.soapstones.com
Regards, Rogerio Teixeira
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