black soapstone

[Bill Marsh <redcloud54@zzzzzzzzzzzzz>]

Karen,

I was told by the owner of the quarry that it is safe, but I also got the
impression that he might not know for sure. That was a while ago, when I
bought a truckload of various size chunks from them, and they may have a
more definitive answer to your question by now.  Their website,
http://www.blackpearlsoapstone.com, has a lot of geological info about the
origins and formation of the stone, and I'm sure you could correspond with
the owners via email on this topic.

I don't think that this particular stone is your basic average soapstone.
It's much harder.  I find myself using my 3/4 inch "B" air hammer on it
routinely, whereas with most soapstone, that would be drastic overkill.  The
dust feels just a little "slick," unlike most soapstone, which is so greasy
it can slide through your hands if you're not careful.  It holds heat like
the soapstone used in woodstoves, does not absorb water much at all, and can
be left out in the weather in its raw state without degradation.  It can be
made very black, and has a minimum of white veining.  A sculpture made with
it won't have the intrinsic "marble premium" that one made of Belgium black
will have, but you miss out on the physical effort of Belgium.

Geez!  They ought to use me as a testimonial!  I really like using it, as
you might have noticed.  Hope this helps.

Bill