Mariana Soapstone^™

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Stonetrade_® is the exclusive United States importer of Mariana Soapstone ™. Quarried in Brazil, the Mariana Soapstone ™ Quarry has been in operation for 15 years and is the largest Soapstone dimension stone quarry in Brazil, with extensive reserves.

If you've seen any Soapstone on print or on TV, it's very likely that you've seen Mariana Soapstone ™, fabricated and installed by one of our customers. Mariana Soapstone ™ is naturally a quiet gray color, with darker spots and patterning, and some light and dark veins. It turns dark gray or black when oiled.


What Is Soapstone, Technically?
Soapstone is a metamorphic rock, primarily made of the mineral talc. It is not anything like limestone, marble, granite, slate or sandstone, it's a totally different animal. It's also not the rock "Talc" which is soft, translucent and used primarily for carving. Real Soapstone is technically called "Steatite", and is related to serpentine (green marble). Soapstone is much less porous then granite, and it's chemically inert, unlike marble or limestone. So it won't be affected by acids and alkalis.

Mariana

Oiled Mariana

Not all Soapstone is of the same grade, so it's important to know exactly which variety you are getting. If you are being offered Soapstone and you don't know what type it is, and would like to know if it's suitable for your job, please ask us!

Uses of Soapstone? In 19th century New England, before the domestic sources were exhausted, Soapstone was used for sinks, hearths and decor pieces. But today, most Mariana Soapstone ™ is used for kitchen countertops, or floor tile.

Soapstone is also particularly well-suited for fireplaces and wood-stoves. It is very dense, and takes in heat from burning wood quickly, slowly radiating for hours. It can handle extremes of temperature that would crack most stones.


Contact Us today for more information on any of our stones.

The Mariana Quarry