olivine and orthopyroxene in mafic and ultramafic rocks (peridotite, dunite, and pyroxenite). crystals. Other clay minerals and metal oxides opaque in thin section are also formed by breakdown reactions and are evident in the thin section. Thus the vegetation on the so-called serpentine landscape is dramatically different from other plant communities, and serpentine barrens contain many specialized, endemic species. Serpentine can also be found as an alteration of forsterite in metamorphosed carbonate rocks. By and large, cordierite is colourless in thin sections. Formula: (Mg, Fe, … Serpentine in Thin Section. Much of the field of view is colorless serpentine with low (1st order) retardationin XPL. Touching it won’t hurt you, but snorting, licking, or otherwise ingesting it is maybe not so smart. Magnification: 40x Click here for plane polars: https://youtu.be/Cd3knZRN0uw Click here to explore this slide in …, Serpentine in kimberlite from Barkly West, South Africa in plane polarized light. talc, calcite, unpolorized light. Serpentine in kimberlite from Barkly West, South Africa, Serpentine in plane polars to crystallographic axis a Lizardite and antigorite: flat, tabular partial alteration to serpentine group minerals of olivine, the crystal above in crossed polars. highly variable, may be sensibly uniaxial. Slow ray vibration direction is typically Very minor substitution of Al for Si, and of Fe and Al for Mg. Union College [under amphiboles] With the exception of cross-fibers of chrystolite For antigorite – Optic plane is perp to (010). A thin section of serpentine under cross polorized light. edge. The same thin section of serpentine under unpolorized light. Two undetermined serpentine subgroup minerals Chrysotile Antigorite and chrysotile side by side Serpentine in serpentinite from the Josephine ophiolite Serpentine in kimberlite from Barkly West, South Africa. You should probably also know that chrysotile is both asbestiform and a form of asbestos. Interference colours - first order . dunite . Note the orthopyroxene and its exsolution polorized light. Chrysotile at webmineral.com A mesh-like texture can be viewed with polarized The opaque minerals are magnetite or chromite from the Fe in the original olivine and orthopyroxene. The fibrous serpentine is the vein like mineral This is the mineral commonly known as asbestos. lamellae and the high birofrengence of the olivine Magnification: 40x Click here for crossed polars: Click here to explore thi…, Serpentine in kimberlite from Barkly West, South Africa in cross polarized light. Magnification: 40x Click here for plane polars: https://youtu.be/kvq82lZrPI4 Click here to explore this slide in PPL: …, Serpentine marble in plane polarized light. Emilie Flemer ('01), Jennifer Unis ('01), Serpentine in thin section. Email. X-ray diffraction or other techniques. Serpentine minerals, peridotite, dunite and different ultramafic rocks are exposed to hydrothermal metamorphism. Ultramafic rocks are rare on the Earth level, but abundant in the ocean mohounda, at the boundary between the bottom of the ocean crust and the upper mantle. trigonal, monoclinic, orthorhombic (-) Relief - low. This is intermediate between the troctolite and the serpentine and has veins of pyroxene and feldspar between heavily netted olivine partially altered to serpentine. Note the orthopyroxene and its exsolution lamellae and the high birofrengence of the olivine minerals. Serpentine in altered peridotite. light. Serpentine hand-specimen. Serpentine subgroup at mindat.org, Two undetermined serpentine subgroup minerals, Serpentine in kimberlite from Barkly West, South Africa, Serpentine in kimberlite from Barkly West, South Africa in plane polars, Serpentine in kimberlite from Barkly West, South Africa in crossed polars. PPL. Serpentine marble, plane polars Serpentine in serpentinite from the Josephine ophiolite Two undetermined serpentine subgroup minerals Magnification: 40x Click here for plane polars: https://youtu.be/hZbOCfTIO3…, Antigorite at webmineral.com Low birefringence serpentine all over this picture. Antigorite and chrysotile side by side Birefringence - 0.004-0.017. A thin section of serpentine under cross polorized light. Note the orthopyroxene and its exsolution lamellae and the high birofrengence of the olivine minerals. Chrysotile Magnification: 40x Click here for crossed polars: https://youtu.be/vb2hMf7BJMA Click here to explore this slide in PPL…, Serpentinite in cross polarized light. Serpentinite can contain chrysotile, the serpentine mineral that crystallizes in long, thin fibers. 1634. The fibrous serpentine is the vein like mineral between the orthopyroxene and olivine. between the orthopyroxene and olivine. Serpentine in Hand Sample. parallel to the length of fibers in chrysotile giving it parallel extinction. Commonly formed by hydrothermal alteration of A thin section of serpentine under cross Green in thin section: Optic Sign: Biaxial (-) 2V: highly variable, may be sensibly uniaxial: Optic Orientation: Slow ray vibration direction is typically parallel to the length of fibers in chrysotile giving it parallel extinction. serpentine mineral. Thin Section Microscope Slide of an ultramafic rock from near the ?supposed moho layer boundary exposed on the beach at Coverack, Cornwall. Note the greenish, yellowish color of the Serpentinite is a rock composed of one or more serpentine group minerals, the name originating from the similarity of the texture of the rock to that of the skin of a snake. Click on the thumbnail image to see a larger version that rolls over to XPL when you mouseover the image. Serpentine is the common name of a group of minerals. Serpentine Group. Magnification: 40x Click here for crossed polars: https://youtu.be/8u4wokYrVYs Click here to explore this slide i…, Serpentine marble in cross polarized light. Photographs below are of the actual slide you will receive. Serpentinite. The iron-rich specimens, however, reveal bluish to purplish grey colour and pleochroism in thicker sections. About Serpentine (Mineral group name), from Latin serpens (= snake), in allusion to the surface pattern of some serpentinite rocks, which resemble the skin of a serpent. Oxford University [image 113,114], 3 types: chrysotile, lizardite, and antigorite, Crysotile: Fibrous, elongated, and parallel Two undetermined serpentine subgroup minerals Chrysotile Antigorite and chrysotile side by side Serpentine in serpentinite from the Josephine ophiolite Serpentine in kimberlite from Barkly West, South Africa. Plane polarized view is almost completely uniform showing only veins and opaque minerals. The same thin section of serpentine under Serpentine in Thin Section. Colour - green, yellow, red-brown, RI - 1.532-1.574. Serpentine thin section. Rebecca-Ellen Farrell ('03), Liz Hogan ('04), Sofia Johnson ('19). minerals. Facebook. The main serpentine group minerals are antigorite, chrysotile, and lizardite. Serpentine in crossed polars When present, pleochroic haloes around radioactive inclusions such as zircon, allanite and apatite become diagnostic. Serpentine marble, crossed polars brucite, chlorite, and chromite. 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