talc
category
Talc is a magnesium-containing mineral made of silicate. This mineral always has impurities with it, Although the pure form of it exists in nature but it’s extremely rare and hard to find. Impurities associated with talc are usually manganese oxide, quartz, carbon and iron, and due to it’s acidic properties, although weak, it dissolves in acid.Talc is fatty(greasy), slippery and soft due to its high density and weak molecular bond, and if the density of talc increases, it is used as a soapstone.
Talc is known by the chemical formula Mg3Si4O10 (OH) 2. In this formula, if too much iron is substituted for magnesium, the substance is converted to *minsuite*, and if aluminum is substituted for magnesium in this formula, pyrophyllite will be made. The highest amount of talc in the world is found in schist and serpentine rocks. Mafic rocks, ultra mafic and dolomites are also important sources of talc. Areas such as the United States, Western Europe, and parts of Asia have large reservoirs of talc.
Table of structural and chemical properties of talc
| Name of the chemical | talc |
| Chemical formula | Mg3Si4O10 (OH) 2 |
| Molar mass | 379.27g/mol |
| Appearance of powder | white |
| Density | 2.58-2.83 |
The five main properties of talc powder that make it a unique material for industrial and home applications are:
- Laminate (Consists of platelets that separate from each other)
- Softness (Unpleasant and abrasive)
- Chemical inertia
- Desire for organic chemicals
- Whiteness
Talc is used as an anti-adhesive, anticoagulant, lubricant, carrier, thickener, reinforcer, adsorbent.
Applications of talc
Paper industry:
Talc can be used in three stages in paper making: filler, roughness control and coating. 42% of the world's talc is used in paper making. Most talc is used in papermaking as a filler. The amount of talc consumed in the paper industry in 1994 was reported to be 2.7 million tons. In the United States, due to the abundance of kaolin required for the paper industry, the consumption of kaolin in this industry is more than talc, and in Europe, the consumption of talc is higher.
