An extremely soft (hardness 1 on the Mohs scale), white or greenish-white mineral composed essentially of magnesium silicate, Mg3Si4O10(OH)2. Talc crystallizes in the triclinic system. It forms as a secondary mineral by alteration of magnesium-rich olivines, pyroxenes, and amphiboles of ultrabasic rocks. It has a soft, soapy texture and is used in talcum and face powder, as a paper coating, and as a filler for paint and plastics. Massive fine-grained talc is known as soapstone or stearite.
