Clinochlore
Mineral (Mg5Al)(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Also called Seraphinite, Kämmererite, Ripidolite, and Penninite
About it
Green, pearly six-sided plates that bend without springing back; silver-feathered seraphinite comes from Siberia, and purple chromian kämmererite from Turkey's chromite mines.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Silicate (phyllosilicate), chlorite group
- Formula
- (Mg5Al)(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 2–2.5
- Specific gravity
- 2.6–3.02
- Streak
- greenish white
- Lustre
- vitreous (glassy), pearly, greasy
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Colours
- green, dark green, olive, white, yellow, purple-pink
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- perfect in one direction, flexible but not elastic sheets
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.