Talc quarry trucks. Talc (hydrated magnesium silicate) is a very soft mineral that is the main component of talcum powder. After being quarried, the rock is crushed into powder form and is also used in paper, plastics, cosmetics and paints. This talc quarry, in Luzenac, France, is the largest talc quarry in the world. It is at an altitude of 1800 metres altitude in the Ariege region of France. Founded in 1905, it produces 400,000 tonnes of talc in a year. The trucks being used here are mining trucks, which are very large and able to carry heavy loads. Excavators are also seen.