metamorphic
Greenstone (Prase / Nephrite / Serpentine mix)
Metamorphosed ultramafic rock / greenstone facies
Hardness varies from 5.5 to 6.5 (depending on mineral mix), dark green to black color with characteristic lighter green or white speckling/veinlets, waxy to sub-vitreous luster, massive or fine-grained crystal structure, specific gravity around 2.9-3.2.
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Physical properties
Hardness varies from 5.5 to 6.5 (depending on mineral mix), dark green to black color with characteristic lighter green or white speckling/veinlets, waxy to sub-vitreous luster, massive or fine-grained crystal structure, specific gravity around 2.9-3.2.
Formation & geological history
Formed through regional or hydrothermal metamorphism of mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks (such as basalt or peridotite) under low-to-moderate temperature and high-pressure conditions.
Uses & applications
Used for decorative carvings, tumbled stones, lapidary arts, and historically for prehistoric stone axes and tools.
Geological facts
Greenstones often acquire their rich color from iron-bearing silicate minerals like chlorite, actinolite, or epidote. The specific region near 46.6°N, 16.1°E (such as parts of Central Europe/Austria-Slovenia borderlands) contains complex geological zones where metamorphic and ophiolitic belts make greenstone-type rocks entirely plausible.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its distinctive deep green mottled appearance and moderate hardness. Often found in glacial outwashes, stream pebbles, or ancient orogenic belts.
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