Agalmatolite

Description

A soft, talc-like stone composed of hydrated Aluminum silicate. The gray, green or yellow stone is also called pagodite since it was often used by the Chinese for carving pagodas (Mayer 1969). Agalmatolite is a variety of Pyrophyllite. It has a specific gravity of 2.8-2.9 and has been used as a substitute for Talc.

Synonyms and Related Terms

pagodite; pyrophyllite; agalmatolita (Esp.); Agalmatolith (Pyrophyllit; Deut.)

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Mohs Hardness = 1.0 - 2.0

Resources and Citations

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 600

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)