Pure talc has a ctahedral crystal structure in which an octahedral brucite [Mg(OH) 2] sheet is sandwiched between two tetrahedral siloxane S 2 O 5 sheets. This structure is electrically neutral and will bond to an adjacent layer only through van der Waals forces. Thus, talc undergoes cleavage very readily, is very soft, and has a soapy feel.
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