Steatite
Clades: Silicates.
Synonyms: Soapstone; Soaprock.
Chemical: Mg3(Si4O10)(OH)2
A massive variety of talc with a greasy feeling, often used for ornamental carvings. magnesium rich mineral talc.
MineralogyA
Steatite is a variety of Talc; Talc-schist, which is a type of metamorphic rock
It is produced by dynamothermal metamorphism and metasomatism, which occur in the zones where tectonic plates are subducted, changing rocks by heat and pressure, with influx of fluids, but without melting. It has been a medium for carving for thousands of years.