Soapstone, also known as Steatite, is a metamorphic rock that consists primarily of talc. It’s a type of metamorphic rock composed largely of the magnesium-rich mineral talc. It is produced by dynamothermal metamorphism and metasomatism, which occur in subduction zones, changing rocks by heat and pressure, with influx of fluids but without melting Depending on the quarry from which it is sourced, this natural stone also contains varying amounts of other minerals such as micas, chlorite, amphiboles, quartz, magnesite, and carbonates.

As a metamorphic rock, it is very resistant to heat. In fact, soapstone is often used for casting metals, such as lead, pewter and silver. It has also been used traditionally for cooking pots, pizza stones and other cookware, fireplaces and wood-burning stoves, and even tobacco pipes.

The raw quarry stones are hand-excavated using picks and shovels to dig a large pit in the earth during the mining process. Excavators are also used to mine big quantity of the stones. The fill is stockpiled and reused to backfill the quarry holes after extracting the soapstone.