serpentine - teaching hand/display specimen of textbook serpentine from the Melones Fault Zone

Serpentine is a mineral formed by the metamorphism and igneous activity associated with subduction zones, where an oceanic plate is diving below a continent. It is derived from the metamorphism of magnesium-rich peridotite from the mantle. It's the state "rock" of California. Its chemical formula: Mg₆(Si₄O₁₀)(OH)₈

Serpentine's structure is sheets of silica tetrahedrons sandwiching layers of magnesium hydroxide. The magnesium hydroxide layers imperfectly stack with the silica tetrahedron sheets, causing bending of the layers. In most serpentines, these layers form convoluted sheets, well represented in these examples. When the sheets bend into tubes, fibers of asbestos are formed. Collected from the Melones fault zone in the American River Canyon, Placer County, California, right in the Forty-Niner gold belt. Glossy dark green  textbook serpentine.

Shipping: By Priority Mail or USPS Ground Advantage, whichever is cheaper, unless we find a better rate. Click > here < for shipping rates. See comment at Note! Use back button to return to this page.

Select a specimen: You can select a specimen by telling us what is in the photo with it, a black and silver pen, a black mechanical pencil, or one of those plus some number of coins, or you can let us make the selection.

Making multiple purchases? Click on the "combine shipping" button in the shopping cart. We'll send an invoice with combined shipping. A link in that invoice will bring you back to checkout, no hassle.