Did you know that the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil is partly made out of soapstone?

The statue sits on a stone base and is made out of reinforced concrete attired with many triangular soapstone tiles. That’s fairly impressive considering the statue is 98 feet tall and was completed in 1931. Thus far, it has held up to 83 years of climate.

Did you know that soapstone is mainly talc?

Talc is considered the softest material on earth (a 1 on the Moh’s Hardness Scale); however, soapstone is actually a 4 or 5 on the Hardness Scale. Soapstone is easier to carve, hence the reason it is used for many mediums such as countertops, statues, molds for other materials, etc. A great website to find more information can be found here.

Did you know soapstone can be mined in the United States?

There is only 1 soapstone mine located in Virginia but it is still active and operated by the Alberene Soapstone Company. Most mines are located in Brazil, India, and Finland.

Did you know whiskey stones are made out of soapstone?

When whiskey stones are used to chill beverages, they will not dilute the beverage since they are made out of soapstone, which is a rock. Soapstone is non porous and can be frozen and/or heated to high temps.

Did you know soapstone is a dense, nonporous material?

Just because soapstone is not considered as hard as granite or quartz doesn’t mean it isn’t extremely dense or nonporous. It is considered to be impenetrable…meaning it shouldn’t stain. If you want more interesting information about soapstone, please check out this website.

Did you know soapstone was/is used for lab tables?

Since this material is inert, it will not be harmed by acids or bases. Liquids will also not soak into the table either. Also, dough and hot pots will not harm the material.