SERPENTINE

Specifications

Mineral Class: Silicate
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Hardness: 3 - 6
Luster: Greasy, Waxy
Diaphaneity: Opaque to Transparent
Colors: Green, Gray, Black, Brown, White
Symbolizes: Transformation
Source: Canada, Italy, Norway, Peru, Switzerland, UK, USA, and Zimbabwe

Serpentine is a stone composed of one or more Serpentine group minerals. Serpentine gets its name from its greenish color and the texture of the stone itself, resembling that of a snake. Snakes represent rebirth and transformation. Serpentines, part of the kaolinite-serpentine group, are greenish, brownish, or spotted minerals commonly found in Serpentinite rocks. They are used as a source of magnesium and asbestos, and as a decorative stone. They may contain minor amounts of other elements including chromium, manganese, cobalt or nickel. There are three important mineral polymorphs of serpentine: antigorite, chrysotile and lizardite. The serpentine group of minerals are polymorphous, meaning that they have the same chemical formulae, but the atoms are arranged into different structures, or crystal lattices. Many types of Serpentine have been used for jewelry and hardstone carving.