Antigorite, lizardite and chrysotile are the three mineral polymorphs that constitute "serpentine." Antigorite and lizardite are the soft green platy minerals in serpentine, whil e chrysotile is the fibrous "white asbestos" form. These minerals commonly result from the hydrothermal or retrograde metamorphism of mafic minerals such as olivine, pyroxene or amphibole.
Pronunciation: CHRIS•oh•teel
Color: white to light gray or light green
Luster: fibrous -- silky
Diaphaneity: translucent; may appear opaque in hand specimen
Hardness: 2.5
Specific gravity: 2.5
Cleavage/fracture:
Other distinguishing properties: Chrysotile's fibrous crystals are diagnostic. The chrysotile fibers grow parallel to one another, perpendicular to the walls of cracks in the surrounding rock. Approximately 95% of the asbestos used worldwide i s chrysotile asbestos. While asbestos has been linked to a number of diseases, scholarship indicates that chrysotile is not hazardous in situations where the exposure is modest.
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/
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