Talc is a metamorphic mineral resulting from the metamorphism of magnesian minerals.
-Talc have several kinds
1- steatite which is pure talc, it refers to high-purity, dense, very fine-grained talc that can be machined. On firing, it has good electrical insulating properties and is used in the manufacture of electrical porcelain.
2-foliated talc use in several industry
3- tremolite talc This is fine-grained “hard” talc, which have magnesium concentration about 10 %, and traces of carbonates and quartz.
Uses:
Talc enter in several industry around the world like
1- painting 2- insecticides: as a carrier
3- tanning leather 4- soap
5- filler: in carpet and textile backings, wallboard joint compounds, adhesives and sealants
6- ceramic and pottery: Talc for ceramic applications is low in iron and carbonates, uniform in chemical composition and fired shrinkage, hard and fine grained, controlled in particle size distribution,
7-plastics: Talc is used in thermoplastics to control melt flow, reduce creep in molded parts, increase molding cycles, increase heat deflection temperature, and improve dimensional stability.
8- paper: Its low abrasion and ability to preferentially wet oily materials in the presence of water are unique among mineral alternatives, talc is used for TiO2 extension and for improved gloss, opacity, brightness, and ink holdout.
9- pharmacological cosmetics and talc powder: Only high-brightness platy talc of exceptional purity is used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
10-printing ink 11- electric isolation
12- Talc is used for flow control in animal feeds, as a dusting agent for rubber, as an anticaking agent for fertilizers
13- Coatings The principal use for talc in coatings is as a TiO2 extender.