Soapstone (also known as
steatite, or
soaprock) is a
talc-
schist., which is a type of
metamorphic rock. It is largely composed of the mineral
talc and is thus rich in
magnesium. It is produced by dynamothermal
metamorphism and
metasomatism, which occurs in the areas 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.