TALC / SOAPSTONE (Steatite, French Chalk)

Talc / Soapstone (Steatite, French Chalk)
By Aqeel Chemical & Processing Unit

Talc (Hydrous Magnesium Silicate – 3MgO•4SiO₂•H₂O), commonly known as Soapstone, Steatite, or French Chalk, is one of the softest minerals with a hardness of just 1 on Moh’s scale. It has a silky, soapy feel, excellent lubricating properties, high luster, chemical inertness, thermal resistance, and electrical insulation qualities. Its natural color ranges from pure white to silvery white, making it highly versatile for industrial and commercial applications.

At Aqeel Chemical & Processing Unit, we supply high-quality talc in powdered and lump form, processed to meet the requirements of various industries worldwide.

Applications of Talc / Soapstone

Cosmetics & Personal Care

  • Base ingredient in powders, creams, lotions, foundations, eye shadows, and deodorants.
  • Adds smooth texture, absorbs excess oil, and improves product coverage.
  • Used in dry shampoos for humans and pets due to its natural oil-absorbing properties.

Ceramics

  • Widely used in artware, porcelain, jars, wall and floor tiles.
  • Prevents crazing (cracking) of glazes and ensures stability at high temperatures.
  • Can form up to 80% of ceramic body composition, valued for refractoriness and low shrinkage.

Electrical Industry

  • Essential in ceramic insulators and steatite components due to its low iron content, dielectric strength, and resistance to high temperatures.
  • Used in ceramic electric goods, insulators, and high-frequency applications.

Paints & Coatings

  • Enhances smoothness, coverage, stability, and corrosion resistance in paints, enamels, adhesives, putties, and industrial coatings.
  • Improves fluidity, acid/thermal resistance, and weather durability.

Plastics Industry

  • Used as a reinforcing filler in HDPE, PP, LDPE, PVC, ABS, and thermosetting compounds.
  • Improves stiffness, hardness, tensile strength, surface quality, and thermal resistance.

Paper Industry

  • Applied as filler, coating agent, and pitch/stickiness controller.
  • Improves smoothness, opacity, brightness, gloss control, and reduces reliance on costly whitening agents.

Rubber Industry

  • Acts as filler, anti-sticking, and dusting agent.
  • Enhances strength and processing of rubber goods.

Textiles

  • Used for loading and bleaching of cotton goods.
  • Inferior grades are used for back-filling textiles.

Detergents & Household Products

  • Acts as a carrier for detergents, reduces production costs, and is safe on skin.

Agriculture & Pesticides

  • Serves as an inert carrier in insecticides and pesticides.

Foundry Industry

  • Used as mould facing material for smooth finishing in castings.

Animal Feed & Pharmaceuticals

  • Used as a safe additive in certain animal feed and pharmaceutical products.

Why Choose Aqeel Chemical & Processing Unit?

  • Customized particle sizing (powder & lumps).
  • Stringent quality control to meet global standards.
  • Wide industrial supply across cosmetics, ceramics, plastics, paints, paper, textiles & more.
  • Specifications & chemical analysis available on request.