Serpentine meshwork in Josephine peridotite

Click on the image to enlarge.            Photo © Daniel R. Snyder

Josephine peridotite, partially serpentinized. A component of the Josephine ophiolite sequence. Serpentine meshwork occupies space between grains and along fractures within individual grains. Because serpentine can't accommodate the iron given up by the olivine, this is taken up as hematite, which gives the meshwork its brown color. Josephine County, southwest Oregon. XPL Imaged area 1.3 mm x 2 mm.