Image: <bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q126871368" class="extiw" title="d:Q126871368"><span title="photographer from the United States">Darla Sondrol</span></a></bdi> (CC0)
monocliniccommonSilicates
Serpentine
Mg3Si2O5(OH)4
Serpentine is a typically green to yellowish-green mineral, often exhibiting a greasy or waxy luster, and can be found in massive, platy, or fibrous forms.
Serpentine Physical Properties
Mohs Hardness
2.5Crystal System
monoclinicLuster
vitreousStreak Color
whiteCleavage
poor to noneFracture
unevenSpecific Gravity
2.55Colors
green, yellowish-green, brownish-green, white, gray, blackTransparency
translucentType Locality
Worldwide; Quebec, CanadaMineral Group
SilicatesUses
ornamental stone, carving, architectural stone, source of magnesiumAssociated Minerals
chromite, magnetite, talc, olivine, pyroxeneRarity
commonGeological Context
It forms through the low-temperature hydrothermal alteration (serpentinization) of ultramafic igneous rocks like peridotite and dunite, which are rich in olivine and pyroxene.
