metamorphic
Serpentinite
Serpentinite (composed primarily of Serpentine group minerals: (Mg,Fe,Ni,Al,Zn,Mn)2-3(Si,Al,Fe)2O5(OH)4)
Hardness: 3-5 on Mohs scale. Color: Greenish-yellow to dark green, often mottled. Luster: Waxy, greasy, or silky. Crystal structure: Usually massive or fibrous/platy. Cleavage: Poor. Specific gravity: 2.5-2.6.
- Hardness
- 3-5 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Greenish-yellow to dark green, often mottled
- Luster
- Waxy, greasy, or silky
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Physical properties
Hardness: 3-5 on Mohs scale. Color: Greenish-yellow to dark green, often mottled. Luster: Waxy, greasy, or silky. Crystal structure: Usually massive or fibrous/platy. Cleavage: Poor. Specific gravity: 2.5-2.6.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the hydrothermal alteration (serpentinization) of mafic and ultramafic rocks (like peridotite) from the Earth's mantle, typically at tectonic plate boundaries or subduction zones.
Uses & applications
Used as decorative architectural stone, in jewelry (often as a jade simulant), and historically as a source of asbestos. It is also used in crushed form for road aggregate.
Geological facts
Serpentinite is the state rock of California. The process of serpentinization can release hydrogen and methane, which may have played a role in the origin of life on early Earth.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its characteristic green color, waxy feel, and common association with fault zones. Found frequently in the Coast Ranges of California, the Alps, and the Appalachian mountains.
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