410 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



STEATYTE, or SOAPSTONE. 



[Some are pale-grey, of bluish and greenish tints ; others reddish or orange. They 

 have been stated to be found in the Cos. Donegal (?), Gal way, Mayo, Sligo, and 

 Waterford. As the question of the classification of steatyte and pyrophyllyte is 

 still obscure, rocks said to be steatyte will be mentioned under this heading, coupled 

 with the objection to their classification.] 



Donegal. 



In different places associated with the basic volcanic rocks are 

 seams of steatyte, but of very small dimensions. In other places, 

 the rocks that are generally called steatyte are more probably 

 pyrophyllytes. No large mass of true steatyte appears to be re- 

 corded in the Co. Donegal. 



Near Crohy Head, westward of Dunloe, Mr. Blake states 

 there is a steatyte so pure as to be valuable for the manufacture 

 of lubricators. It occurs as a bedded rock unassociated with 

 intrusive rocks, and is probably a pyrophyllyte ; but this has still 

 to be verified. 



Eastward of Dunfanaghy, at Ards, steatyte is also said to have 

 been found. The rock, however, appears to be pyrophyllyte. 



Gtalway. 



Steatyte occurs in subordinate veins and patches, associated 

 with many of the intrudes, especially the ophyte ; but they are of 

 small dimensions. It has also been recorded as found near Kil- 

 meelickin chapel, in the Maum valley. The specimen, however, 

 would suggest that the rock was a pyrophyllyte. 



Mayo. 



On the south shore of the island of Bofin and the north shore 

 of the island of Shark, in this county (but off the coast of Galway),. 

 are considerable tracts of fine light to darkening-grey steatyte ; 

 the better portions being of a silver-grey. On Bofin it has been 

 worked to some extent, and exported for the manufacture of lubri- 

 cators, but apparently not for articles of vertu. 



In the mountainous tract between the Killary and Clew Bay, 

 to the westward of Doolough, there is a considerable mass of an 

 impure yellowish steatyte, an adjunct to a felstern intrude. 



