Talc is a mineral composed of hydratedmagnesiumsilicate with the chemical formula H2Mg3(SiO3)4 or Mg3Si4O10(OH)2. It occurs as foliated to fibrous masses, its monoclinic crystals being so rare as to be almost unknown. It has a perfect basal cleavage, the folia non-elastic although slightly flexible. It is sectile and very soft, with a hardness of 1 (it is the softest solid). It has a specific gravity of 2.5 - 2.8, a waxlike or pearly luster, and is translucent to opaque. Its color ranges from white to gray or green and it has a distinctly greasy feel.
Talc is a metamorphic mineral resulting from the alteration of silicates of magnesium such as pyroxenes, amphiboles, olivine and other similar minerals. It is usually found in metamorphic rocks, often of a basic type due to the alteration of the minerals mentioned above.
A coarse grayish-green talc has been called soapstone or steatite and has been used for stoves, sinks, electrical switchboards, etc. Talc finds use as a cosmetic (talcum powder), as a lubricant, and as a filler in paper manufacture. Most tailor's chalk is talc.
The origin of the name derives from the Persian via Arabictalq.
Talc is also used as food additive or in pharmaceutical products, in the European Community the additive number is E553b.
It has been suggested that talcumpowder may be carcinogenic to the ovaries through the migration of talcumpowder particles through the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes to the ovary.
Talcumpowder is produced from talc, a magnesium trisilicate mineral, which in its natural form may contain asbestos, a known human carcinogen (any substance that causes cancer or helps cancer grow).
It has been suggested that talcumpowder may be carcinogenic to the covering layer of the ovaries through the migration of talcumpowder particles (applied to the genital area, sanitary napkins, diaphragms, or condoms) through the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes to the ovary.
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