metamorphic
Serpentine / Serpentinite
Serpentinite (Mg,Fe,Ni,Al,Zn,Mn)2-3(Si,Al,Fe)2O5(OH)4
Hardness: 3-6 on Mohs scale. Color: Greenish-grey, dark olive green to blackish with mottling or fibrous patterns. Luster: Waxy, greasy, or silky. Cleavage: Poor/absent, fractured.
- Hardness
- 3-6 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- Waxy, greasy, or silky
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Physical properties
Hardness: 3-6 on Mohs scale. Color: Greenish-grey, dark olive green to blackish with mottling or fibrous patterns. Luster: Waxy, greasy, or silky. Cleavage: Poor/absent, fractured.
Formation & geological history
Formed by hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic igneous rocks (such as peridotite) at low temperatures and pressures in the presence of water, typically in subduction zones.
Uses & applications
Used as an ornamental stone, carving material, source of asbestos (chrysotile), and occasionally as dimension stone in construction.
Geological facts
Serpentine is the official state rock of California. It gets its name from its similarity to the skin of a snake due to its greenish color and scaly, greasy feel.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its distinctive greasy feel, greenish tint, and medium-soft hardness. Commonly found in ophiolite belts, mountain ranges, and subduction zones worldwide.
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