Talc lumps
Talc broken at the mine and hand-sorted by colour grade and size, supplied un-ground in jumbo bags. How much comes out as lumps depends on the source deposit.
Talc · soapstone
Talc from PakTalc
We supply talc in two forms. Talc lumps are hand-sorted and graded by colour. Talc powder is ground and classified to a mesh size. Both are selected at the mine and tested at SKZ Laboratory Peshawar.
The mineral
What is talc?
Talc is a hydrated magnesium silicate mineral, Mg₃Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂. It is the softest mineral on the Mohs scale, splits into thin plates, feels smooth or soapy to the touch and is chemically inert. Massive, talc-rich rock is known as soapstone or talc stone.
Industry uses talc for three things: its softness, its thin plate-like particles, and a surface that repels water but mixes readily with oils and resins. Those properties make it a functional ingredient in plastics, paints, paper, ceramics and rubber, not just a filler. The applications page explains what talc does in each industry.
- Chemical formula
- Mg₃Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂
- Hydrated magnesium silicate
- Hardness
- 1 on the Mohs scale
- The reference softest mineral; easy to grind
- Structure
- Lamellar (platy)
- Stacked sheets that slide apart — the source of talc's slip and its reinforcing effect in polymers
- Surface
- Hydrophobic / organophilic
- Repels water, wets well with oils and resins
- Chemistry
- Chemically inert
- Stable in most formulations; does not react with common binders or polymers
- Theoretical composition
- SiO₂ ≈ 63.5 % · MgO ≈ 31.7 % · H₂O ≈ 4.8 %
- Pure mineral. Natural talc ores contain associated minerals, so real products are measured by lab analysis
Terminology
Talc, soapstone, lumps and mesh: the terms buyers use
- Talc
- The mineral itself, Mg₃Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂.
- Soapstone / talc stone
- Rock made up largely of talc. In trade, “soap stone” is often used for talc lumps and powder — SKZ's own bags are labelled “Soap Stone / Talc Powder”.
- Talc lumps
- Run-of-mine talc broken and hand-sorted into pieces, supplied un-ground.
- Talc powder / mesh powder
- Talc lumps ground in mills and classified to a particle-size (mesh) target.
- Mesh
- A sieve size: the number of openings per linear inch. Higher mesh = finer powder (325 mesh ≈ 45 µm, 400 mesh ≈ 38 µm).
- Micronized talc
- Talc ground and air-classified to very fine particle sizes, typically reported by D50/D97 in microns rather than mesh.
Product forms
Talc lumps and talc powder
Lumps suit buyers who grind in-house. Powder suits buyers who need a ready particle size. Our comparison guide covers the choice in detail.
Talc powder
Lumps crushed, ground in hammer or Raymond mills and classified to your fineness. Published sample reports show above 325 and above 400 mesh. Packed in 25 kg or jumbo bags.
Colour grades
Four colour grades
Talc lumps are graded by colour during hand sorting. Colour comes from minerals associated with the talc in the deposit, and it carries through to the powder. Choose the grade to suit your end product.
- White
Bright white, flaky lumps — relevant where final whiteness of the powder matters.
- Grey
Grey to bluish-grey fragments with white streaks.
- Green
Pale green, slightly translucent lumps.
- Coffee
Pinkish-beige to light brown lumps.
Origins
Where our talc comes from
Company records describe two groups of talc sources. Lump yield, colour and processing route vary by source.
Afghan talc
- Khogyani
- Agam
- Shinwari
Pakistani talc
- Haripur
- Parachinar
- Chitral
Afghan talc is handled through Afghan Talc Ltd.'s processing plant in Jalalabad before it reaches Peshawar. Pakistani talc goes from mine stock areas direct to Peshawar. See the supply chain.
From lump to lab
Processing and quality
How the talc is prepared and checked. Each topic has its own page.
Mining & sorting
Selective extraction in surface and underground workings, then hand sorting by colour and size in the mine yard.
Grinding & packing
Crushing, hammer and Raymond mill grinding, air classification and bagging at the two Peshawar meshing plants.
Quality testing
Particle size, whiteness, sieve residue, LOI, SiO₂ and MgO — with 2 sample analysis reports published in full.
Applications
Industries that specify talc
Each industry weighs different properties, so each needs a different grade.
All applicationsQuestions
Talc questions buyers ask
Short answers to what buyers ask most. Anything else, just ask.
What is talc?
Talc is a hydrated magnesium silicate mineral, Mg₃Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂. It is the softest mineral on the Mohs scale, splits into thin plates, feels smooth or soapy and is chemically inert. Rock made up largely of talc is called soapstone or talc stone.
Is soapstone the same as talc?
In trade they are used interchangeably: soapstone is rock rich in talc. SKZ's own bags are labelled “Soap Stone / Talc Powder”. PakTalc supplies it as hand-sorted lumps or as ground mesh powder.
What is the difference between talc lumps and talc powder?
Talc lumps are pieces of raw talc, hand-sorted by colour and size and supplied un-ground for buyers who run their own mills. Talc powder is those lumps crushed, ground and air-classified to a stated fineness, ready to use in production.
Where does PakTalc's talc come from?
Company records list Afghan talc from Khogyani, Agam and Shinwari, and Pakistani talc from Haripur, Parachinar and Chitral. Material is stocked and segregated by grade in Peshawar before grinding or dispatch.
Which colour grades are available?
White, grey, green and coffee. The grade is set during hand sorting at the mine yard and carries through to the powder, so it is worth specifying with your enquiry.
Enquiries
Ask about talc for your application
Send your talc specification (form, mesh or lump size, colour grade, quantity and destination) and we will reply with a proposal.