Name/Title
Stichtite / SerpentineEntry/Object ID
2009.62.105Description
Chemical Composition: Hydrated Magnesium Chromi
Crystal System: Tetragonal System
Description: Common Name: Stichtite / Serpentine
Chemistry: Mg6Cr2CO3(OH)16-4H2O, Hydrated Magnesium Chromium Carbonate Hydroxide / (Mg,Fe)3Si2O5(OH)4, Magnesium Iron Silicate Hydroxide
Group: Carbonate / Silicate
Location: Tasmania, Australia
Description: A violet, iridescent layer of crystal on a base of dark and light olive green serpentine.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF STICHTITE:
Color is a purple-ish rose pink.
Luster is waxy or greasy.
Transparency: Crystals are translucent.
Crystal System is trigonal.
Crystal Habits include mostly massive forms that are compact, micaceous or lamellar aggregates.
Cleavage is perfect in one direction..
Fracture is uneven to flaky.
Hardness is 1.5 - 2
Specific Gravity is approximately 2.1 (well below average)
Streak is white to shades of pink or lilac.
Associated Minerals are serpentine and chromite.
Best Field Indicators are color, habit, locality and associations.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SERPENTINE:
Color is olive green, yellow or golden, brown, or black.
Luster is greasy, waxy or silky.
Transparency crystals are translucent and masses are opaque.
Crystal System is variable, see above.
Crystal Habits: never in large individual crystals, usually compact masses or fibrous. Veins of viberous serpentine can be found inside of massive serpentine or other rocks.
Cleavage the varieties of crysotile have none, in lizardite and antigorite it is good in one direction.
Fracture is conchoidal in antigorite and lizardite and splintery in the crysotiles.
Hardness is 3 - 4.5
Specific Gravity is 2.2 - 2.6
Streak white
Associated Minerals include chromite, olivine, garnets, calcite, biotite and talc.
Other Characteristics: serpentine in the rough has a silky feel to the touch and fibers are very flexible.
Best Field Indicators softness, color, silky feel and luster, asbestos if present and its flexibility
Fracture: uneven to flaky
Hardness: 2 Gypsum
Luster: Waxy
Occurrence: Stichtite is a mineral, a carbonate of chromium and magnesium; formula Mg6Cr2CO3(OH)16·4H2O. Its colour ranges from pink through lilac to a rich purple colour. It is formed as an alteration product from chromium containing serpentine.
Rock Type: Sedimentary
Specific Gravity: 2.1
Streak: white
Variety: Stichtite is a rare and unusual carbonate. It forms in mostly compact masses or micaceous aggregates and is in stark contrast to the majority of carbonates that form well shaped, large and abundant crystals. Its most common locality is near Dundas on the Island of Tasmania and in fact almost all specimens sold in rock shops and from mineral dealers have Dundas listed as the source. Stichtite has a some what dull purple-ish pink to purple-ish rose-red color. Its color, although similar in description to the other rose-red carbonates, it is actually distinctive in its own right when viewed together with the other pink carbonates. Massive green serpentine is usually associated with stichtite and this green and purple-ish pink combination can make for an attractive specimen or an ornamental stone carving.Collection
RAGM Mineral CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2009.62Source or Donor
Museum Collection of MineralsAcquisition Method
DonationDimensions
Width
2 inDepth
2-1/4 inLength
3-1/4 inWeight
0.33 ozLocation
Location
Display Case
FS-4-BRoom
Frieda Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumDate
January 3, 2024Location
Container
RightDrawer
Bottom / FrontShelf
Right, RightWall
South wallRoom
Delmar Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentMoved By
Steve MillerDate
January 22, 2010Location
* Untyped Location
Needs Updated Location - 2022Category
PermanentMoved By
Jacob RierDate
September 25, 2009Location
Drawer
2nd from rightShelf
bottom front right, bottom front rightWall
South wallRoom
Delmar Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentMoved By
Jacob RierDate
September 25, 2009Location
Container
CenterDrawer
Top ShelfShelf
LeftCabinet
Case #31Wall
EastBuilding
Freida Smith HallCategory
Permanent