Color is colorless to white. Luster is silky, vitreous to earthy. Transparency crystals are transparent to translucent. Also found as concretions, encrustations and massive. Cleavage is perfect in one direction and distinct in another.
Fracture is uneven.
Streak is white. Fluorescent green in shortwave UV and bluish white in longwave UV light and crystals can be striated. Associated Minerals include serpentine , artinite , aragonite , calcite , periclase , brucite , pyrrhotite , talc and olivine . Best Field Indicators are crystal habits, associations, softness and density.