Serpentine

Serpentine properties at a glance

Geology & background

Serpentine minerals form by the hydrothermal alteration of magnesium-rich igneous rocks such as peridotite and dunite, a process called serpentinization.

Serpentine has been carved for ornaments and architecture since antiquity. Its asbestos varieties were heavily used in the industrial era before health hazards led to widespread restrictions.

How to identify Serpentine

• Look for mottled green color, a greasy or waxy luster, and a smooth, slippery feel.
• Serpentine is fairly soft and can be scratched by a steel knife.
• Massive serpentine can mimic jade; jade is notably harder and tougher.

Where Serpentine is found

Serpentine occurs in altered ultramafic rocks worldwide, with notable localities in the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, China, and Russia.

How much is Serpentine worth?

Value depends on color, pattern, translucency, carving quality, size, and locality.

Common uses

• Carved ornaments and sculpture
• Decorative architectural stone
• Jade substitute in lapidary work
• Source of magnesium minerals
• Collector specimens

Interesting facts

• Serpentine gets its name from its mottled green patterns, which resemble snakeskin.
• The fibrous serpentine variety chrysotile is the most common form of commercial asbestos.
• Massive serpentine is widely carved and polished and is sometimes sold as a jade substitute.
• Serpentinite, the rock made of serpentine, is the official state rock of California.

Care & safety

Serpentine is soft and can scratch easily, and fibrous types may shed hazardous fibers.

Asbestos-bearing varieties. Some serpentine contains chrysotile asbestos; never crush, grind, or sand fibrous specimens and avoid inhaling any dust.

Related rocks & minerals

Magnetite Minerals Chromite Minerals Talc Minerals Olivine Minerals Calcite Minerals Jadeite Silicate Minerals