IMA mineral species
Vermiculite
Mg₀.₇(Mg,Fe,Al)₆(Si,Al)₈O₂₀(OH)₄ * 8H₂O
Smectite, phyllosilicate mineral.
Properties
⛏ Mohs hardness1 – 1.5
💅🪙🍶🔪💎
Scratches with a fingernail.
⚖ Density2.4 – 2.7 g/cm³
Average
| Chemical formula | Mg₀.₇(Mg,Fe,Al)₆(Si,Al)₈O₂₀(OH)₄ * 8H₂O |
|---|---|
| Elements | Mg, Fe, Al, Si, O, H |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic |
| Mohs hardness | 1 – 1.5 |
| Density | 2.4 – 2.7 g/cm³ |
| Streak | — |
| Color | — |
| IMA symbol | Vrm |
| Nickel–Strunz class | 9.EC.50 |
“—” means no reliable value in Wikidata yet. Check Mindat for full data.
Care & Handling
- 🪶 Soft, Scratches Easily Mohs 1 – 1.5: softer than a steel knife, so it scratches easily. Store it apart from harder stones.
🌍 Where it's found
Type locality (where it was first described): Millbury, United States
- Type locality
- Notable source / deposit
- Country of origin
Marker positions are approximate (region or locality level). Type localities from Wikidata; notable sources curated by Crystopedia.
Varieties & related stones
Learn more
- Vermiculite on Mindat.org
- Wikipedia article
- Wikidata item Q194358 (source of this page's data – you can correct it there)
IMA mineral species
1–2
Monoclinic
YellowGreenBrownBlackWhite & Clear
Soft, Scratches Easily