Talc is a hydrous silicate of magnesium while soapstone is an impure talcose rock in which talc is intimately mixed with various
impurities such as dolomite, serpentine and calcite. Soapstone and Talc are mainly used in ceramics, paints, paper, cosmetic,
plastic and insecticides. Soapstone deposits occur in Parachinar area, Kuram agency; Jamrud, Khyber Agency; Derai, Swat District;
Sherwan, Abbottabad District. The Sherwan deposit is the major producer of soapstone in the country but other deposits of KPK have
also started producing and are expected to increase the production as the demand rises. Soapstone deposits of Kurram agency have
been estimated to contain 1.6 million ton of reserves. The Golen Gol (Chitral) soapstone deposits are recently reported in
Shyok Suture, formed by skarn type metasomatism of dolomite of Cretaceous Reshun formation. The ophiolitic and volcaniclastic
rocks in the Wazhdad and its vicinity may show some soapstone mineralization.