Sepiolite
Mineral Mg4Si6O15(OH)2·6H2O
Also called Meerschaum
About it
Light, porous, chalky white masses that can float on water when dry; carved into meerschaum pipes, mostly from Eskişehir, Turkey.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Silicate (phyllosilicate), palygorskite group
- Formula
- Mg4Si6O15(OH)2·6H2O
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 2–2.5
- Specific gravity
- 2–2.3
- Streak
- white
- Lustre
- dull, earthy
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Colours
- white, cream, grey, yellowish
- Transparency
- opaque
- Cleavage and fracture
- none; conchoidal to earthy fracture
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.