Talc

This is a short overview. For the background — history, value over time and notable mines — see Talc →

The softest common mineral, valued for that softness and its slippery feel — ground for use as a lubricant, filler and in cosmetics, or worked as a solid block (soapstone or steatite; kleber in Shetland, from the Old Norse) for carving. Soapstone is soft enough to shape with simple tools when freshly quarried and hardens on exposure, which is why Norse Shetland cut bowls and loom-weights from it at Catpund and Cross Geo. In Britain it occurs almost exclusively in the Shetland serpentinites and on the Lizard.