There were a bunch of different descriptive words I read to describe a mineral's texture. They included smooth, rough, greasy, glassy, soapy...

I stopped at this one! I thought that "soapy" was a very odd way to describe a mineral. Does anyone know of any minerals that actually do have a "soapy" texture?

Thanks for your help.

At the risk of sounding like a smart@$$, apparently "soapstone" is a mineral with a soapy texture!

Read more here:

http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/soapstone

Thanks, John.

Hi again, John.

Today, I found out that the soapstone is another name for talc, which does not have a soapy texture. Thanks for trying, though.

I did learn that there is a mineral called Bentonite, the only one the class instructor could find with a soapy texture.

Thanks again for your help.

But what does a soapy textured mineral FEEL like? Does it feel like a bar of soap (wet or dry)? Liquid dishwashing soap? Powder laundry soap (wet or dry)? Or is it just an expression?

It is probably a cross between glassy and greasy.

It feels slick and powdery, actually. I know this because there is a mineral museam nearby and one of the displays was one you could "touch" with all the different textures. I don't really recall which stone it was I was touching...but I recall the feel distinctly. It doesn't actually feel soapy...not to me anyway...but when I rubbed it I kept looking at my hands to see if anything had come off (cause it felt like it would have) but nothing did.