Of the Ages   Soapstone is a metamorphic rock ranging in age from 300 to 400 million years. Chemically inert, soapstone is composed of several minerals including talc, chlorite, dolomite, quartz, magnesite, mica, chlorite, pyroxene, amphibole, serpentine, quartz, calcite, and iron oxides. Its colours range from white, greenish grey, charcoal to dark green.

Around the Globe   The most notable producers of soapstone include Brazil, Finland, Japan, and the United States (primarily in the New England state of Vermont), and to a lesser extent Canada (Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia). Soapstone originates from quarries in various locations around the world and is often named from the quarries from which they were mined, such as Brazil’s Mariana, Lorena, Foresta, Beatrice, Santa Lita, Verte Noir, among others.

Art to Home   The two main categories of soapstone are Artistic and Architectural. Artistic soapstone has a significantly higher talc content which makes it softer than Architectural soapstone. It is for this reason that Artistic soapstone is mainly used for carving and sculpture, while Architectural’s lower talc content and dense non-porous properties make it harder and more durable, with the structural integrity needed for use in the home.

A Natural Fit   Widely recognized as an excellent natural stone alternative to granite and marble, soapstone’s unique colour palette, coupled with its artistic veining characteristics, is appreciated for its rustic qualities, while equally applauded for the ease with which it can be introduced into a modern design environment. As the name “soapstone” implies, given its inherently high talc content, it is soft to the touch – much the same feeling experienced when rubbing a piece of dry soap. Soapstone also has a high fusion point, low electrical and thermal conductivity, superior heat retention, and high lubricating power. These innate properties makes soapstone impervious to most physical damage, and once installed, unlike granite, it will last virtually forever. From invasive liquid spills such as wine that typically leaves impossible-to-remove stains on any other kind of material or surface, to scorching heat damage most often caused by super-heated cookware, soapstone is essentially impenetrable.

Looking Over Rio   These robust qualities, coupled with its natural beauty, make soapstone a highly touted and much sought out material for kitchen countertops. Renowned for withstanding high traffic abuse, it hasn’t been a coincidence that soapstone has been used in science classrooms and lab countertops for over one hundred years. Moreover, adding further testament to its robust and protective qualities, soapstone was used as a coating for Brazil’s famed statue in Rio des Janeiro, “Christ the Redeemer”.