Seraphinite

Seraphinite is a dark green to grey mineral with gorgeous chatoyancy due to fibres under the surface.

Seraphinite is almost always sold polished or carved, to show off the gorgeous feathery chatoyancy.

It is only found in one location, around the Lake Baikal and Irkutsk region of Siberia, Russia.

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Appearance, Uses and History

Seraphinite is a trade name for a variation of clinochlore and is a member of the Chlorite group.

Inclusions of Mica inside the stone cause silvery-white feathery growths, with some limited chatoyancy. These feathery growths sometimes give the impression of feathered wings.

It is named after the Seraph, the highest class of biblical Angels.

Seraphinite is almost always sold polished, whether it is cut en cabochon, carved, or tumble polished. However, it is worth noting that Seraphinite is an extremely sold stone, and any jewellery made with it should be designed to protect the stone as much as possible.


Locales

Seraphinite is only found in the Irkutsk region of Siberia, in Russia.


Mineralogy

Chemistry
A variety of Clinochlore, with the formula Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Colours and Variations
Green to grey, with silvery white inclusions.
Streak
Luster
Pearly, dull, greasy
Fracture
Uneven
Transparency
Translucent to transparent
Crystal habit
Mohs hardness
2.0 – 4.0
Specific Gravity
2.60 – 3.02
Easiest testing method
Visual inspection and a hardness test should be conclusive.
Common Treatments

Hazards and Warnings

 

Almost all rocks, minerals (and, frankly, almost all other substances on earth) can produce toxic dust when cutting, which can cause serious respiratory conditions including silicosis.
When cutting or polishing rocks, minerals, shells, etc, all work should be done wet to minimise the dust, and a suitable respirator or extraction system should be used.


Translations

Arabic:

Hindi:

Portuguese:

  • serafinita

Bengali:

Indonesian:

  • serafinit

Punjabi:

English:

Italian:

Russian:

French:

  • séraphinite

Japanese:

  • セラフィナイト

Spanish:

  • serafinita

German:

  • Seraphinit

Korean:

  • 세라피 나이트

Thai:

Gujurati:

Mandarin and Traditional Chinese:

Urdu:


Further Reading / External Links