The facts
What soapstone actually is
Soapstone is classified as talc-rich metamorphic rock, with the composition Mg₃Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂. It crystallises in the monoclinic system.
Colour comes from iron and chlorite, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.539–1.589. Specific gravity around 2.2–2.8. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where soapstone comes from
Soapstone is produced at Brazil, Finland, India and Virginia, USA.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How soapstone is treated
Oiled and waxed.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What soapstone is confused with
In the trade soapstone is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Serpentine or Alabaster.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.539–1.589 and specific gravity 2.2–2.8 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What soapstone is used for
Demand for soapstone comes from carving and sculpture, kitchen and table, fireplaces, architecture and interiors, pipes and decorative objects, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the block, by the piece or by the square metre.
Durability and care
Soapstone is 1–2.5 on the Mohs scale, with none cleavage.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What soapstone costs
As a guide, soapstone trades around $1–10/kg.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is soapstone treated, and how?
Oiled and waxed.
Where does soapstone come from?
Brazil, Finland, India and Virginia, USA. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is soapstone hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 1–2.5 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does soapstone cost?
Indicatively $1–10/kg. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is soapstone confused with?
Most often Serpentine and Alabaster. A refractive index of 1.539–1.589 and a specific gravity near 2.2–2.8 separate it quickly.
What is soapstone used for besides jewellery?
carving and sculpture, kitchen and table, fireplaces, architecture and interiors, pipes and decorative objects. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for soapstone?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about soapstone