here's what I wrote about the topic of Cracks VS Fissures back in 2006: Here's my opinion.... NOW - BEFORE you read this, REMEMBER, This is just what I think - I'm a Fabricator - NOT a Geologist)... with that said, here's what I think: A "fissure" is a natural point of separation within a mass of stone, that has existed since the time that particular stone was created. Fissures are typically found in certain types of stones, such as Marbles, Limestones, Gneisses & Schists, (but NOT in true Granites) and many times are mistaken for "veins". A fissure in a mass of stone is the weakest point within that mass, and if the stone is flexed enough, the stone will break at it's weakest point - along the line that constitutes a fissure. A "crack" is an unatural fracture or breaking point in the continuity of a mass of stone that occurs, when undo flexural forces bend that particular section of stone past it's breaking point to yeild a fracture or crack. In short - GOD made FISSURES WE make CRACKS... wise cracks & butt cracks Anyways - My .02 cents worth... I hope that helps those who were wondering.... kevin Kevin M. Padden Fabricator, Trainer & Consultant to the Natural stone Industry www.azschoolofrock.com www.naturalstone101.com

According to all the major soapstone suppliers I called about this (I did a lot of research!), soapstone is so heavy it either needs no epoxy to hold it at all, or just something as simple as silicone. HOWEVER, my fabricator, who was not knowledgeable about soapstone, used a PERMANENT, rock hard drying epoxy. Francy what you wrote above reminded me of some research I did for a seam in my granite that had cracked. I posted a question on the stoneadvice forum, asking what the best solution would be for the seam. The responses indicated that polyester should be used rather than epoxy in my particular instance. The reasoning: earthquakes. Yes, I live in the Bay Area too. Here's probably way too much information, but it's relevant to the fact that your fabricator used epoxy to attach the soapstone to your cabinets. My fabricator repaired the cracked seam with polyester. Now, IF THERE WAS NO MOVEMENT EXPECTED, I think the proper solution to the problem would be to remove all the polyester, and re-seam with epoxy. But Antonio is correct in stating that if you did so, and the stone experienced movement (due to an earthquake, for instance)--the stone would indeed crack. The seam would hold, but the stone would crack elsewhere, probably within an inch or so of the seam. (We've done numerous lab tests to prove this). So you're faced with a conundrum--take a chance that there will be no movement and the seam will look good, but the stone may crack if there is movement; or use the "fuse theory"--just like a fuse blows in an electric circuit before there is more damage elsewhere, you can look at the polyester as being a fuse--if there is movement, the "fuse" (the seam) will break, but the stone will still be ok. Then you'd just have to re-seam. (posted by Mike Beckmann from Bonstone Materials Corp.) I hope this post doesn't add more stress to your life - if so I apologize. Best case scenario is that other people can learn from our experiences. Here is a link that might be useful: Stone Advice forum

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.

If it’s bothersome to you, I suppose you could quote out a job to repair or replace. If it cracked due to installation error, I would hope that it would be replaced free of charge. FWIW, I think it looks really pretty.