{{Short description|Trade name for a form of clinochlore}} {{Infobox mineral | name = Seraphinite | category = Phyllosilicate minerals | group = Chlorite group | boxbgcolor = #3fce68 | image = Clinochlore (Seraphinite).jpg | alt = | caption =Seraphinite specimen | formula = (Mg, Fe<sup>3+</sup>Al(Si<sub>3</sub>Al)O<sub>10</sub>(OH)<sub>8</sub> | IMAsymbol = | molweight = | strunz = | system = Monoclinic | class = | symmetry = | color = green, white, colourless | habit = | twinning = | cleavage = | fracture = | mohs = 2–2.5 | luster = Pearly, dull, greasy | refractive = 1.571–1.597 | opticalprop = Biaxial (–) | birefringence = 0.005–0.011 | pleochroism = | fluorescence = inert | streak = light green | gravity = 2.600–3.000 | diaphaneity = transparent, translucent to opaque | other = | references = }}
'''Seraphinite''' is a trade name for a particular form of clinochlore, a member of the chlorite group.
Seraphinite apparently acquired its name due to its resemblance to feathers due to its chatoyancy. Seraphinite is named after the biblical seraphs or seraphim angels.<ref>[http://www.gemdat.org/gem-27184.html Seraphinite on Gemdat]</ref> With some specimens the resemblance is quite strong, with shorter down-like feathery growths leading into longer "flight feathers"; the resemblance even spurs fanciful marketing phrases like "silver plume seraphinite." Seraphinite is generally dark green to gray in color, has chatoyancy, and has hardness between 2 and 4 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness.
Seraphinite is mined in a limited area of eastern Siberia in Russia. Russian mineralogist Nikolay Koksharov (1818-1892 or 1893) is often credited with its discovery. It occurs in the Korshunovskoye iron skarn deposit in the Irkutskaya Oblast of Eastern Siberia.<ref>[http://www.mindat.org/min-27184.html Seraphinite on Mindat]</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Gemstones Category:Chlorite group
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