Chlorite Data

Chlorite is a green mica mineral that is common in certain kinds of low temperature-pressure (greenschist facies) metamorphic rocks.

Pronunciation: KLORE•ite (accent on capitalized syllable)

Color: green

Luster: pearly

Diaphaneity: translucent; may appear opaque in hand specimen

Hardness: 2-2.5

Specific gravity: 2.6-3.3

Cleavage/fracture: 1

Other distinguishing properties: Chlorite has mica-like folia that are flexible but not elastic (i.e., can be bent without breaking, but do not readily return to their original shape).

Specimen Pictures

References

Klein, C., and Hurlbut, C.S., Jr., 1999, Manual of Mineralogy (after James D. Dana) [21st edition, revised]: New York, John Wiley & Sons, 682 p.

Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, The Photo Atlas of Minerals: nhm.org/pam/

Return to the Minerals page.

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