serpentinite
Sign in to saveright|thumb|Serpentinite from the Maurienne valley, [[Savoie, French Alps]] right|thumb|Sample of serpentinite from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, California, United States thumb|Chromite|Chromitic serpentinite ( across), [[Styria Province, Austria. Protolith was a Proterozoic-Early Paleozoic upper mantle dunite peridotite that has been multiply metamorphosed during the Devonian, Permian, and Mesozoic.]] thumb|Tightly folded serpentinite from the Tux Alps, [[Austria. Closeup view about .]]
~11 min read
Encyclopedic overview
16 sectionsContents
- Formation and mineralogy
- Hydrogen production
- Hydrothermal vents and mud volcanoes
- Potential 'cradle of life'
- Ecology
- Occurrences
- Uses
- Decorative stone in architecture and art
- By the Inuit
- As an ovenstone
- Neutron shield in nuclear reactors
- CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration
- Cultural references
- See also
- References
- External links
right|thumb|Serpentinite from the Maurienne valley, [[Savoie, French Alps]] right|thumb|Sample of serpentinite from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, California, United States thumb|Chromite|Chromitic serpentinite ( across), [[Styria Province, Austria. Protolith was a Proterozoic-Early Paleozoic upper mantle dunite peridotite that has been multiply metamorphosed during the Devonian, Permian, and Mesozoic.]] thumb|Tightly folded serpentinite from the Tux Alps, [[Austria. Closeup view about .]]
Serpentinite is a metamorphic rock composed predominantly of serpentine group minerals formed by serpentinization of mafic or ultramafic rocks. The ancient origin of the name is uncertain; it may be from the similarity of its texture or color to snake skin. Greek pharmacologist Dioscorides (AD 50) recommended this rock to prevent snakebite.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “serpentinite” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.