Anthophyllite
Mineral (Mg,Fe)7Si8O22(OH)2
Take care.
- Can shed asbestos fibres: Keep it in a closed box, and never break, saw, sand, or scrape it.
About it
Clove-brown to grey blades and fibres in metamorphosed ultramafic rock, the common orthorhombic amphibole; its fibrous form was mined as asbestos in Finland.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Silicate (inosilicate), amphibole group
- Formula
- (Mg,Fe)7Si8O22(OH)2
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 5.5–6
- Specific gravity
- 2.85–3.57
- Streak
- white to grey
- Lustre
- vitreous (glassy), silky
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Colours
- grey, clove brown, brown, green, white
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent, opaque
- Cleavage and fracture
- perfect in two directions at about 54° and 126°
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.