Formula	Name	Family	Number min-max	Isotope mole fraction	State	Relevance
	$Mg$	Magnesium	element	0 - 3		constituent element	main
	$Ni$	Nickel	element	0 - 3		constituent element	main
	$Si$	Silicon	element	2		constituent element	main
	$O$	Oxygen	element	9		constituent element	main
	$H$	Hydrogen	element	4		constituent element	main

Composition comments

Common impurities: Al, $Fe_{3+}$, $Fe_{2+}$, $Cr_{3+}$, Mn, Mg, Ti, Ca, H2O

Chemical functions

	Function	Number
	$(OH)^-$	4

Chemical bonds

	Bond	Number
	$O^--H$	1

Oxides

Formula	$MgO$	$NiO$	$SiO_{2}$	$H_{2}O$
Mass fraction (%)

Strunz

Class

silicates (09)

Division

phyllosilicate (09.E)

Family

with kaolinite layers composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets (09.ED)

Code

09.ED.15

Dana

Major class

silicates (VIII)

Class

phyllosilicate sheets of six-membered rings (71)

Type

with 1:1 layers (71.01)

Group

Serpentine group (Chrysotile subgroup) (71.01.02d)

End-members

• Chrysotile
• Clinochrysotile
• Orthochrysotile
• Parachrysotile
• Pecoraite

Phase type

crystalline

Crystal system

various

Crystal class

various

Crystal class symbol

various

Crystal spacegroup

various

Refringence type

biaxial

Refringence sign

positive or negative

Birefringence

0. - 0.038

Refraction index $n_{\alpha}$

1.545 - 1.569

Refraction index $n_{\beta}$

1.546 - 1.603

Refraction index $n_{\gamma}$

1.553 - 1.603

Dispersion V

weak to strong

Pure color

colorless

Color

various

Diaphaneity

translucent to opaque

Luster

various

Links

• Wikipedia
• Wikipedia
• Webmineral database