Mineral · Phyllosilicate
Talc
Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
Talc is hydrated magnesium silicate, hardness 1, the softest mineral on the Mohs scale and the substance of soapstone; crystals are rare, and specimens are massive greasy white, green or pink material from Vermont, Italy and China. Its soapy feel is diagnostic. Some talc deposits contain asbestiform tremolite, which is the reason for the talc-powder litigation.
| Formula | Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 |
|---|---|
| IMA status | grandfathered |
| Crystal system | Triclinic |
| Mohs hardness | 1 |
| Group | Phyllosilicate |
| Type locality | None (known since antiquity) |
| Streak | White |
| Specific gravity | 2.75 |
| Reference list | IMA List of Minerals (RRUFF) — verify formula and status against the current list |
Handling and safety
Talc from unverified sources may contain asbestos fibres; avoid making dust.
Elsewhere
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Talc" (Mineral). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-19. https://stratum.black/study/minerals/talc. Accessed 2026-09-20.
@misc{stratum-talc,
title = {Talc},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/minerals/talc}},
year = {2026},
note = {Mineral article, Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-19; sources: stratum, wikidata, commons. Accessed 2026-09-20.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.