I am really surprised that no one has jumped on this thread. The truth is (and please don�t take this the wrong way) if you have to gently run your finger across a Verde Bahia (Uba Tuba) countertop to feel a fissure chances are you have a well resined slab. Uba Tuba is notorious for fissures; however, when treated with polyester or epoxy binders during slab manufacturing the fissure are filled and fused together, and then of course the resins are ground off during the polishing process leaving a smooth natural stone finish that we all have come accustom to. So my suggestion to you is, if it�s the feel that bothers you there is not much you can do short of having the guy come back and TRY and fix it. Regardless of what most people say face polishing is still an art, not everyone that knows how to carry in these massive countertops are proficient in restoration of natural stone. If the fissures are visibly noticeable, a color enhancer may do the trick. Before you go out and buy a bag full of chemicals try soaking the area with water to see if the color of the fissures changes. You can do this by leaving a wet towel on the countertop for an hour or so. If water darkens the fissure you may have success with a permanent color enhancer. A few years back working for one of the big box retailers we used color enhancers to hide fissures, excessive pitting etc.... Since then more and more stones are treated with resin so the fissure and pitting issues have drop significantly. I hope this answers you questions. Enjoy your new countertop for what there�re worth! Regards, Caayu

I have this stone in my bathrooms. I took close-up photos of the slabs in the stoneyard. Upon install, I noticed two of these 'cracks' in the counters and backsplash. It turns out that these were in the stone prior to fabrication--I found them in the photos when I magnified the picture! I haven't had any problems but, again, these are bathroom counters, not in the kitchen. I rejected several slabs of this stone due to major cracks that were less visible from the front of the slab but readily so from the back (I made them pull them out so I could see both sides). I was shocked that I ended up with any cracks but couldn't fault the fabricator. My fabricator hated working with this stone by the way. (The counters were installed in 2010.)

I'm the OP and wanted to come back with an update on what appears to be fissures in the Dorado Soapstone Dallas warehouse Beleza soapstone stock I pictured in my original post and in the comments, with precisely similar types of markings in the Beleza stock pictured on the Garden State Soapstone website, screenshot above. These dark, linear lines are indeed fissures, and they've been repaired at the quarry before transport. A soapstone specialist from my area reviewed the slabs with me and recognized this immediately. We did a water spray and wipe test and saw that the water reacted differently over the repaired areas, more beaded up than on the untreated soapstone. It is difficult to see if the fissures extend through the entire slab because of the mesh backing, but the fabricator wants to avoid the fissured areas for a seating overhang that we have planned. The Dorado slabs also had significant pitting that will need to be repaired before fabrication. Even so, this material is my favorite out of hundreds of slabs of different natural stones that I viewed, so the plan is to proceed with installation. The Beleza is harder than many other varieties of soapstone so won't scratch easily, but it will still offer the water and chemical resistance plus smooth surface for which soapstone has become so popular. Also, as a follow up to a question in my original post, a lot of the risk of cracking with a more dense stone can be alleviated by proper leveling of cabinetry and shimming of the countertop during installation. I believe that the Houzz user who posted elsewhere about a large crack in Beleza had trouble with cabinetry being level. As to changing the surface, the fabricator informed me that I would bear a cost of $400 USD per slab to have this done, and since the current polished surface looks good as it is, this isn't a cost that seems necessary at this time. I think much of the advice to hone soapstone to 80 grit is generally meant for more traditional varieties of soapstone that are softer than Beleza.

Even if you found Danby slabs free of ”lines/fissures” as you put it, do you understand that Danby will etch and stain like all marbles will? If lines/fissures bother you, how will you feel when a drop of wine leaves a dark spot, when someone sets down their coffee cup and leaves a ring, when tossing a salad lets a drop of dressing fall on the marble and etches it? I am not being rude. I am trying to save you thousands of dollars on a counter that will make you unhappy. People who like marble don’t mind the patina of etches and stains. If you are concerned with lines/fissures, you will not be OK with etches and stains.