| Serpentinite is an oily looking green to black
fine-grained rock that can be scratched easily with a knife. It forms by the metamorphism of ultramafic rocks. In many
places serpentinite is highly sheared and breaks into scaly fragments with smooth shiny
faces and a slippery feel. At thin edges the fragments tend to be translucent.
Serpentinite is composed of the mineral serpentine. |
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| Serpentinite with veins of talc |
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| Serpentinite with asbestos vein |
| Soapstone is a rock composed of the mineral talc and can be
mistaken for serpentinite. Soapstone, however, is usually light green to grey in colour
and soft enough to be scratched with the fingernail. |
