RocksdaySeraphinite vs Serpentine
How to tell them apart
A dark green variety of clinochlore with feathery, silvery chatoyant patterns.
Photo: Ra'ike (see also: de:Benutzer:Ra'ike), CC BY 3.0
A group of green magnesium silicates formed when mantle rocks react with water. Smooth, greasy and often mottled like snakeskin.
Photo: Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick tests
- Hardness: Serpentine is clearly harder: Mohs 2.5–5 versus 2–2.5.
- Streak (rub on unglazed porcelain): Seraphinite leaves a greenish white streak; Serpentine leaves white.
Key differences
- Serpentine lacks the silvery feathers.
Side by side
| Property | Seraphinite | Serpentine |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 2–2.5 | 2.5–5 |
| Luster | Silky to pearly | Greasy to waxy |
| Streak | Greenish white | White |
| Colors | Green, Silver | Green, Yellow, Black |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic | Monoclinic |
| Specific gravity | 2.6–3 | 2.5–2.6 |
| Formula | (Mg,Fe)₅Al(Si₃Al)O₁₀(OH)₈ | Mg₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄ |
| Found in | Lake Baikal region, Siberia, Russia | California; Liaoning, China |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify seraphinite
- Deep green with silver feather-like flashes.
- Patterns shimmer as it moves.
- Soft — a knife scratches it easily.
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Full Seraphinite guide →How to identify serpentine
- Mottled green, often with darker streaks.
- Greasy or waxy feel when polished.
- Usually scratched by a knife.
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Full Serpentine guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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