Chlorite
Mineral (Mg,Fe,Al)6(Si,Al)4O10(OH)8
About it
Group name for soft green platy minerals that bend without springing back, unlike mica; they colour greenschist and coat many crystals. Clinochlore and chamosite are listed separately.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Silicate (phyllosilicate), chlorite group
- Formula
- (Mg,Fe,Al)6(Si,Al)4O10(OH)8
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 2–2.5
- Specific gravity
- 2.6–3.3
- Streak
- pale green to white
- Lustre
- vitreous (glassy), pearly, earthy
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Colours
- green, dark green, black, white, pink
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent, opaque
- Cleavage and fracture
- perfect in one direction, flexible but not elastic sheets
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.