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Lizardite

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Big Photo

Sissone Valley, Malenco Valley, Sondrio Province, Lombardy, Italy
© Chinellato Matteo

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Formula:
Mg
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Member of:Serpentine Group


Lizardite is volumetrically the most common serpentine species.
Lizardite-Népouite Series.

See also the closely related antigorite and chrysotile.

Classification of Lizardite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/H.27-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.ED.15

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
D : Phyllosilicates with kaolinite layers composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets
Dana 8th edition ID:71.1.2b.2

71 : PHYLLOSILICATES Sheets of Six-Membered Rings
1 : Sheets of 6-membered rings with 1:1 layers
Hey's CIM Ref.:14.4.8

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
4 : Silicates of Mg
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Type Occurrence of Lizardite

Type Locality:Eastern Cliff, Kennack, Ruan - Grade, Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall, England, UK
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
7.4 (100)
4.6 (80)
3.67 (80)
2.505 (100)
2.156 (80)
1.538 (80)
1.505 (80)

Optical Data of Lizardite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.541 - 1.563 nβ = 1.565 nγ = 1.553 - 1.568
2V:Measured: 37° to 61°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.012

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Low
Dispersion:weak to distinct

Chemical Properties of Lizardite

Formula:
Mg
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Essential elements:H, Mg, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:H, Mg, O, Si

Relationship of Lizardite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Népouite (see here)
Member of:Serpentine Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Amesite
Mg
 
2
Al(AlSiO
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Antigorite
Mg
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Berthierine
(Fe,Fe,Mg)
 
2-3
((Si,Al)
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Brindleyite
(Ni,Mg,Fe)
 
2
(Al(Si,Al)O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Caryopilite
(Mn,Mg)
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Chrysotile
Mg
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Clinochrysotile
Cronstedtite
Fe
2+
2
Fe
3+
 
((Si,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Dickite
Al
 
2
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Fraipontite
(Zn,Al)
 
3
((Si,Al)
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Greenalite
Fe
 
2-3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Halloysite
Al
 
2
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Kaolinite
Al
 
2
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Kellyite
Mn
2+
2
Al(AlSiO
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Manandonite
LiAl
 
4
(BSi
 
3
O
 
10
)(OH)
 
6
Nacrite
Al
 
2
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Népouite
(Ni,Mg)
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Odinite
(Fe,Mg,Al,Fe,Ti,Mn)
 
2.4
((Si,Al)
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Orthochrysotile
Parachrysotile
Pecoraite
Ni
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.ED.05Dickite
Al
 
2
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.05Kaolinite
Al
 
2
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.05Nacrite
Al
 
2
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.05Odinite
(Fe,Mg,Al,Fe,Ti,Mn)
 
2.4
((Si,Al)
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.10Halloysite
Al
 
2
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.10Hisingerite
Fe
3+
2
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
 · 2H
 
2
O
9.ED.10Halloysite-7Å
Al
 
2
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.15Amesite
Mg
 
2
Al(AlSiO
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.15Antigorite
Mg
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.15Berthierine
(Fe,Fe,Mg)
 
2-3
((Si,Al)
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.15Brindleyite
(Ni,Mg,Fe)
 
2
(Al(Si,Al)O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.15Caryopilite
(Mn,Mg)
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.15Chrysotile
Mg
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.15Cronstedtite
Fe
2+
2
Fe
3+
 
((Si,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.15Fraipontite
(Zn,Al)
 
3
((Si,Al)
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.15Greenalite
Fe
 
2-3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.15Kellyite
Mn
2+
2
Al(AlSiO
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.15Manandonite
LiAl
 
4
(BSi
 
3
O
 
10
)(OH)
 
6
9.ED.15Népouite
(Ni,Mg)
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.15Pecoraite
Ni
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.15Guidottiite
Mn
 
2
Fe
3+
 
(Fe
3+
 
SiO
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
9.ED.20Allophane
(Al
 
2
O
 
3
)(SiO
 
2
)
 
1.3-2
 · 2.5-3H
 
2
O
9.ED.20Chrysocolla
Cu
 
2-x
Al
 
x
(H
 
2-x
Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
 · nH
 
2
O (x < 1)
9.ED.20Imogolite
Al
 
2
SiO
 
3
(OH)
 
4
9.ED.20Neotocite
(Mn,Fe,Mg)SiO
 
3
 · H
 
2
O
9.ED.25Bismutoferrite
Fe
3+
2
Bi(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
9.ED.25Chapmanite
Fe
3+
2
Sb
3+
 
(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
14.4.1Forsterite
Mg
 
2
SiO
 
4
14.4.2Enstatite
MgSiO
 
3
14.4.3Clinoenstatite
MgSiO
 
3
14.4.4Chrysotile
Mg
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
14.4.5Clinochrysotile
14.4.6Orthochrysotile
14.4.7Parachrysotile
14.4.9Talc
Mg
 
3
(Si
 
4
O
 
10
)(OH)
 
2
14.4.10Spadaite
MgSiO
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · H
 
2
O (?)
14.4.11Sepiolite
Mg
 
4
(Si
 
6
O
 
15
)(OH)
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
14.4.12Loughlinite
Na
 
2
Mg
 
3
Si
 
6
O
 
16
 · 8H
 
2
O
14.4.13Eifelite
KNa
 
3
Mg
 
4
Si
 
12
O
 
30
14.4.14Stevensite
(Ca,Na)
 
x
Mg
 
3-x
(Si
 
4
O
 
10
)(OH)
 
2
14.4.15Antigorite
Mg
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
14.4.16 Magnesio-anthophyllite

Other Names for Lizardite

Synonyms:
Scyelite
Other Languages:
German:Lizardit
Scyelit
Russian:Лизардит
Simplified Chinese:利蛇纹石
Spanish:Lizardita
Scyelita
Varieties:
Al-lizarditeNickeloan Lizardite

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Lizardite

Reference List:

- +
Mellini, M. (1982) The crystal structure of lizardite 1T: hydrogen bonds and polytypism. American Mineralogist: 67: 587-598.

Mellini, M. and Zanazzi, P.F. (1987) The crystal structure of lizardite-1T and lizardite 2H1 from Coli, Italy. American Mineralogist: 72: 943-948.

Mellini, M. and Viti, C. (1994) Crystal structure of lizardite-1T from Elba, Italy. American Mineralogist: 79: 1194-1198.

Gregorkiewitz, M., Lebech, B., Mellini, M., and Viti, C. (1996) Hydrogen positions and thermal expansion in lizardite-1T from Elba: A low-temperature study using Rietveld refinement of neutron diffraction data. American Mineralogist: 81: 1111-1116.

Benco, L. and Smrcok, L. (1998) Hartree-Fock study of pressure-induced strengthening of hydrogen bonding in lizardite-1T. European Journal of Mineralogy: 10: 483-490.

Balan, E., Saitta, A.M., Mauri, F., Lemaire, C., and Guyot, F. (2002) First-principles calculation of the infrared spectrum of lizardite. American Mineralogist: 87: 1286-1290.

Wicks, F.J. and Chatfield, E.J. (2005) Scrolling of thin crystals of lizardite: an expression of internal stress. Canadian Mineralogist: 43: 193-2004.

Internet Links for Lizardite

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  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Lizardite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    • Localities for Lizardite

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    New Locality Added: Mt Nelson quarry, Mt Nelson, Hobart, Tasmania, AustraliaFrom Ralph Bottrill, 13th Feb 2012 01:41:50