Serpentine is a group of minerals characterized by a waxy or greasy luster and a soapy feel. It is commonly found in shades of mottled green, often occurring as a massive rock mass rather than distinct, visible crystals.
Is this serpentine?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch serpentine with a known reference. Serpentine sits at Mohs 2.5-5.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Serpentine leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Serpentine typically shows a greasy luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: green, yellow, brown, black, white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Serpentine vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads greasy on Serpentine and waxy on Nephrite.
How to tell apart: Jadeite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6.5-7 vs. 2.5-5.5); luster reads greasy on Serpentine and vitreous to pearly on Jadeite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads greasy on Serpentine and vitreous on Prehnite.
Often found alongside serpentine
Minerals reported to co-occur with serpentine. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mg₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5-5.5
- Density
- 2.5-2.7 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Greasy
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Decorative, Ornamental
- Host rock
- Ultramafic Rocks
- Typical price
- $5-50 for typical specimens, higher for carving-grade material
Where rockhounds find serpentine
49 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Italy
- USA
- Canada
- Russia
- China
U.S. states with serpentine
Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce serpentine.
Field-hunting tip
Look in ultramafic rocks country — that is the host setting where serpentine typically forms. If you start seeing magnetite, chromite, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Maryland, California, New Jersey — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find serpentine on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
