Seraphinite

Short description: Trade name for a form of clinochlore

Seraphinite is a trade name for a particular form of clinochlore, a member of the chlorite group.

Seraphinite

Seraphinite specimen

General
Category| Seraphinite mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)| (Mg, Fe3+Al(Si3Al)O10(OH)8
Crystal system| Monoclinic
Identification
Color| green, white, colourless
Mohs scale hardness| 2–2.5
|re|er}}| Pearly, dull, greasy
Streak| light green
Diaphaneity| transparent, translucent to opaque
Specific gravity| 2.600–3.000
Optical properties| Biaxial (–)
Refractive index| 1.571–1.597
Birefringence| 0.005–0.011
Ultraviolet fluorescence| inert

Seraphinite apparently acquired its name due to its resemblance to feathers due to its chatoyancy. Seraphinite is named after the biblical seraphs or seraphim angels.[1] With some specimens the resemblance is quite strong, with shorter down-like feathery growths leading into longer "flight feathers"; the resemblance even spurs fanciful marketing phrases like "silver plume seraphinite." Seraphinite is generally dark green to gray in color, has chatoyancy, and has hardness between 2 and 4 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness.

Seraphinite is mined in a limited area of eastern Siberia in Russia. Russian mineralogist Nikolay Koksharov (1818-1892 or 1893) is often credited with its discovery. It occurs in the Korshunovskoye iron skarn deposit in the Irkutskaya Oblast of Eastern Siberia.[2]

## References

1. ↑ Seraphinite on Gemdat
2. ↑ Seraphinite on Mindat

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