Serpentine Thin Section

Serpentine mg 3 si 2 o 5 oh 4 serpentine was named in 1564 by georgius agrigola georg bauer from the latin serpens snake in allusion to the mottled green appearance of the mineral suggesting the resemblance to some snakes.
Serpentine thin section. Serpentine in plane polars. In thin section the rock appears pale green a colour caused by the serpentine minerals that are formed by the breakdown of olivine. Partial alteration to serpentine group minerals of olivine.
Serpentine thin section photomicrographs are taken in plane polarized light and cross polarized light and can easily be recognized under the microscope. The fibrous serpentine is the vein like mineral between the orthopyroxene and olivine. Partial alteration to serpentine group minerals of olivine.
Trigonal monoclinic orthorhombic relief low. Interference colours first order. Home atlas of minerals in thin section.
The serpentine group is composed of several related minerals. Colour green yellow red brown ri 1 532 1 574. Serpentine in thin section.
Other clay minerals and metal oxides opaque in thin section are also formed by breakdown reactions and are evident in the thin section. Note the orthopyroxene and its exsolution lamellae and the high birofrengence of the olivine minerals. The same thin section of serpentine under unpolorized light.
Serpentine in serpentinite from the josephine ophiolite. Serpentine in crossed polars. A thin section of serpentine under cross polorized light.