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Chrysotile  (Serpentine)Mg3Si2O5(OH)4

Class: Silicate
Subclass: Phyllosilicate
Hardness: 2.5
Density: 2.5
Streak: White
Lustre: Silky
Habit: Fibrous
Colours: Shades of green

  Crystal System: Monoclinic
Cleavage: None
Fracture: Uneven
Magnetism: None
Reaction with HCl: Unknown

Identification in hand sample:
Habit and colour and most indicative properties.

Associations:
Found by hydrothermal alteration of mafics and ultramafics. Associated with talc, calcite, brucite, chlorite, magnetite and chromite.

Industrial / ecomonic uses:
Used in 98% of world's production of asbestos.

Comments:
Yields water when heated.

  

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