Secondary names

Asbestos

	Formula	Name	Family	Number min-max	Isotope mole fraction	State	Relevance
	$Mg$	Magnesium	element	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, Ni, Ti, Ca

Chemical functions

	Function	Number
	$(OH)^-$	4

Chemical bonds

	Bond	Number
	$O^--H$	1

Oxides

Formula	$MgO$	$SiO_{2}$	$H_{2}O$
Mass fraction (%)	43.63	43.37	13.0

Strunz

Class

silicates (09)

Division

phyllosilicate (09.E)

Family

Phyllosilicates with kaolinite layers (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)

Code

71.01.02d.00

Members

• Clinochrysotile (polytype structure: monoclinic)
• Orthochrysotile (polytype structure: orthorhombic)
• Parachrysotile (polytype structure: orthorhombic)

Phase type

crystalline

Crystal system

various

Crystal class

various

Crystal class symbol

various

Crystal spacegroup

various

Refringence type

biaxial

Refringence sign

negative

Birefringence

0.002 - 0.008

Refraction index $n_{\alpha}$

1.545 - 1.569

Refraction index $n_{\beta}$

1.546 - 1.569

Refraction index $n_{\gamma}$

1.553 - 1.571

Dispersion V

relatively weak, r > v or r < v

Pure color

colorless

Color

colorless, white, yellow, green, red, gray, gray brown, brownish

Diaphaneity

translucent to opaque

Luster

silky

Links

• Wikipedia
• Webmineral database
• Mindat