Ground talc is used as a lubricant in applications where high temperatures are involved. It is able to survive at temperatures where oil-based lubricants would be destroyed. Talc powder is used as a carrier for insecticides and fungicides. It can easily be blown through a nozzle and readily sticks to the leaves and stems of…

A rock known as “soapstone” is a massive variety of talc with varying amounts of other minerals such as micas, chlorite, amphiboles, and pyroxenes. It is a soft rock that is easy to work, which has caused it to be used in a wide variety of dimension stone and sculpture applications. It is used for countertops,…

Talc is added to the asphaltic materials used to make roofing materials to improve their weather resistance. It is also dusted onto the surface of roll roofing and shingles to prevent sticking. In 2011, about 6% of the talc consumed in the United States was used to manufacture roofing materials.

Most papers are made from a pulp of organic fibers. This pulp is made from wood, rags, and other organic materials. Finely ground mineral matter is added to the pulp to serve as a filler. When the pulp is rolled into thin sheets, the mineral matter fills spaces between the pulp fibers, resulting in a…

Most paints are suspensions of mineral particles in a liquid. The liquid portion of the paint facilitates application, but after the liquid evaporates, the mineral particles remain on the wall. Talc is used as an extender and filler in paints. The platy shape of talc particles improves the suspension of solids in the can and…

In the United States in 2011, about 17% of the talc consumed was used in the manufacturing of ceramics products such as bathroom fixtures, ceramic tile, pottery, and dinnerware. When used as a filler in ceramics, talc can improve the firing characteristics of the greenware and the strength of the finished product.

In 2011, about 26% of the talc consumed in the United States was used in the manufacturing of plastics. It is mainly used as a filler. The platy shape of talc particles can increase the stiffness of products such as polypropylene, vinyl, polyethylene, nylon, and polyester. It can also increase the heat resistance of these…

Most people use products made from talc every day; however, they don’t realize that talc is in the product – or the special role that it plays.

Most talc in the United States is produced from an open-pit mine where the rock is drilled, blasted, and partially crushed in the mining operation. The highest grade ores are produced by selective mining and sorting operations. Great care is taken during the mining process to avoid contaminating the talc with other rock materials. These…

Talc is a mineral that is most often found in the metamorphic rocks of convergent plate boundaries. It forms from at least two processes. Most large talc deposits in the United States formed when heated waters, carrying dissolved magnesium and silica, reacted with dolomitic marbles. A second process of talc formation occurred when heat and chemically active fluids altered rocks…