- chlorite
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chlorite1
—chloritic /klaw rit"ik, kloh-/, adj./klawr"uyt, klohr"-/, n.a group of minerals, hydrous silicates of aluminum, ferrous iron, and magnesium, occurring in green platelike crystals or scales.[1595-1605; CHLOR-1 + -ITE1]chlorite2/klawr"uyt, klohr"-/, n.a salt of chlorous acid, as potassium chlorite, KClO2.[1850-55; CHLOR-2 + -ITE1]
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Widespread group of layer silicate minerals composed of hydrous aluminum silicates, usually of magnesium and iron.The name, from the Greek for "green," refers to chlorite's typical colour. Chlorites have a silicate layer structure similar to that in micas. They characteristically occur as alteration products of other higher temperature minerals and are most common in sedimentary and igneous rocks and in some metamorphic rocks.* * *
▪ mineralwidespread group of layer silicate minerals occurring in both macroscopic and clay-grade sizes; they are hydrous aluminum silicates, usually of magnesium and iron. The name, from the Greek for “green,” refers to chlorite's typical colour. Chlorites have a silicate layer structure similar to that in micas with compositions near (Mg,Fe,Al)3 (Si,Al)4O10(OH)2 and with brucitelike interlayers with compositions near (Mg,Fe,Al)3(OH)6. The overall composition is then (Mg,Fe,Al)6 (Si,Al)4O10(OH)8. The great many names found in older literature for chlorites with small variations of chemical composition are no longer used. The accepted names are: clinochlore (Mg-rich chlorite), chamosite (Fe-rich), nimite (Ni-rich), and pennantite (Mn-rich). Adjectival modifiers are used to indicate compositional variations. Cookeite (with lithium substituted for aluminum) is also a member of the chlorite group.Chlorites characteristically occur as alteration products of other minerals. They are common rock-forming minerals in clastic sediments and in hydrothermally altered igneous rocks; chlorites are widespread and important constituents of such metamorphic rocks as greenschists or chlorite schists. For detailed structure and physical properties, see clay mineral (table).* * *
Universalium. 2010.