metamorphic
Serpentine
Serpentinite (Mg, Fe, Ni, Al, Zn, Mn)3(Si, Al, Fe)2O5(OH)4
Hardness: 3-6 Mohs. Color: Olive green to yellow-green with dark mottling. Luster: Waxy, greasy, or silky. Crystal Structure: Monoclinic (often massive). Cleavage: Poor. Specific Gravity: 2.5-2.6.
- Hardness
- 3-6 Mohs
- Color
- Olive green to yellow-green with dark mottling
- Luster
- Waxy, greasy, or silky
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Physical properties
Hardness: 3-6 Mohs. Color: Olive green to yellow-green with dark mottling. Luster: Waxy, greasy, or silky. Crystal Structure: Monoclinic (often massive). Cleavage: Poor. Specific Gravity: 2.5-2.6.
Formation & geological history
Formed through serpentinization, a low-temperature metamorphic process where ultramafic rocks from the Earth's mantle are hydrated and chemically transformed by water. Common in oceanic crust and mountain-building zones.
Uses & applications
Used as decorative architectural stone (Verde Antique), for carvings, in jewelry as a jade alternative, and historically as a source of asbestos. Used today as a gemstone and for industrial heat insulation.
Geological facts
Serpentine is the state rock of California. Its name is derived from its resemblance to the skin of a serpent. Some varieties are fibrous and were used to produce chrysotile asbestos.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its characteristic 'snake-skin' green mottled appearance, waxy feel, and relative softness (it can often be scratched by a copper penny or steel knife). Found in ophiolite complexes worldwide.
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