General Information:
Chemical Formula:
Mg3Si2O5(OH)4
Composition:
(Molecular Weight = 277.11 gm)
Magnesium 26.31 % Mg
Silicon 20.27 % Si
Hydrogen 1.45 % H
Oxygen 51.96 % O
Empirical Formula:
Mg3Si2O5(OH)4
Environment:
Metamorphosed and hydrothermally-altered ultra-basic rocks.
Locality:
Asbestos, Quebec, Canada.
Name Origin:
Named for the crystal structure and the relationshop to chrysotile which is from the Greek chrysos - "gold" and tilos - "fiber."
Physical Properties:
Cleavage:
[???] Distinct
Color:
green, red, yellow, or white.
Density:
2.53 - 2.65, Average = 2.59
Diaphaniety:
Translucent to opaque
Habits:
Massive - Fibrous - Distinctly fibrous fine-grained forms., Amorphous - No crystalline form or imitative shape., Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matri x.
Hardness:
2.5-3 - Finger Nail-Calcite
Luminescence:
Non-fluorescent.
Luster:
Silky
Streak:
white
More details...