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A Geoscience Digital Image Library

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TitleSerpentine
DescriptionSerpentine is a magnesium iron silicate hydroxide. Serpentine is a major rock forming mineral and is found as a constituent in many metamorphic and weather igneous rocks. It often colors many of these rocks to a green color and most rocks that have a green color probably have serpentine in some amount. Serpentine is a general name applied to several members of a polymorphic group. It has been used as a substitute for jade and is sometimes difficult to distinguish from jade. Serpentine's chemical formula is (Mg,Fe)3Si2O5(OH)4. The name comes from the Greek, chrysos, meaning “gold” and tilos, meaning “fiber”.
PhotographerShannon Heinle. 2001-10-22.
CollectionUniversity of North Dakota Mineralogy Collection #1883.
Key wordsserpentine, silicate, polymorph, jade
Tech details338 KB. Hand specimen. Fujifilm FinePix S1Pro digital camera; 60mm AF Nikon micro lens.
GeoDIL number1678