This video identifies the mineral, called brucite (using 360 degree photography). Brucite is a minor magnesium ore. It is used in the smelting industry, and is a source for magnesia. Brucite is a soft mineral, and also is occasionally used in polished stones, and a building stone (usually labelled as marble). Crystal forms of brucite are rare.

Note that there is another video on brucite on this channel. In the video description of that video, is more information on brucite (listed under the name, Keystone Quarry), and how it related to magnesium mining in Washington State (USA). It was also quarried in Washington State as an ornamental and building stone in the 1890s to 1910s.

Hello Rock People! This is Dave the Geology Dude. Identification notes are below in this text. Note that I have other videos that provide more rock identification information on my YouTube channel. It is best to try to see many examples of the same rock type--because only then you understand the range of variables that can be associated with each rock type. Don't forget that: Geology isn't rocket science--it's Rock Science! Please "like" and subscribe to this YouTube channel!

Identification information for this rock:
1) metamorphic environment: often found as an alteration mineral from magnesium bearing marble and limestone, and serpentine.
2) Shape/cleavages: crystals are rare, it has one cleavage--and easily cleaves
3) Color--mostly a light gray to light green in color.(although it can be bluish too, and there are rare yellow crystals)
4) density--it is slightly less than most rocks (2.4 times the weight of water)
5) hardness--it is about as hard as a fingernail (softer than glass)
6) acid reactivity: it will react to acid contact
7) luster--non-metallic glassy/waxy/pearly/fibrous
8) other characteristics--a small deposit of brucite near Chewelah, WA, is the result of alteration from a skarn. A sample of this is in the historical society museum rock collection at Waterville, WA. It was used commercially as a building stone in the early 1900s.
9) sometimes is confused with talc, but brucite doesn't feel soapy, and is slightly harder than talc. Brucite also may cleave into flexible flakes, and may have some fibrous structures.

Music (YouTube Audio Library): Good Times (by Patrick Patrikios)

Copyright by David Knoblach, 2022. All rights reserved
[Tim]

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