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Steatite

A kind of greyish or greenish stone with a soapy feel and look about it, from the Greek word for tallow. Such stone is generally soft and can easily be worked to make figurines, vessels, seals, and other objects. Sometimes used in Minoan art for ornamental vases, and covered with gold foil.

The rock steatite is the material we use for our countertops, sinks, masonry heaters, flooring, and many other architectural applications. Steatite was also used to "coat" the famous "Christ the Redeemer" statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Steatite is composed of several minerals, but the most abundant is talc. Steatite, because of its additives is harder than Talc, hence suitable for the applications cited above.

This natural quarried stone is softer than most other naturally occuring minerals. Although soft, steatite is a very dense (non-porous) stone ; more so than marble, slate, limestone and even granite. Since steatite is impenetrable , it will not stain, no liquid will permeate its surface. Other stones, including granite, have a propensity to soil; this is why steatite is widely used in chemistry lab-tops and acid rooms.

Maintenance

The only maintenance required for steatite, is the application of mineral oil, to enhance the natural darkening process the stone goes through. Once mineral oil is applied, the stone will turn into a very dark charcoal gray, sometimes black. Often times, varieties of steatite will keep a hint of green. Steatite is virtually heat proof and used in the construction of masonry heaters because of its excellent thermal qualities. It is also used in creating pizza stones, cooking pots, oven interiors and numerous related applications. You can take a pot right from your stove and place it on your's steatite countertops without harm.

An industrial grade of talc of high purity; block steatite which meets a specified degree of purity is designated as Soapstone.

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