Greenschist, formed by metamorphism of basalt or other low-silica volcanic rock, typically contains significant amounts of chlorite.

Chlorite minerals show a wide variety of compositions, in which magnesium, iron, aluminium, and silicon substitute for each other in the crystal structure.

A complete solid solution series exists between the two most common end members, magnesium-rich clinochlore and iron-rich chamosite.

The TOT layers of talc are electrically neutral and are bound only by relatively weak van der Waals forces.

It is a nonswelling clay mineral,[7] since water is not adsorbed in the interlayer spaces, and it has a relatively low cation exchange capacity.

[10] The glassy rims of pillow basalt on the ocean floor is often altered to pure chlorite, in part by exchange of chemicals with seawater.

[13] At higher temperatures, much of the chlorite is destroyed by reactions with either potassium feldspar or phengite mica which produce biotite, muscovite, and quartz.

[14] Chlorite is one of the most common minerals produced by propylitic alteration by hydrothermal systems, where it occurs in the "green rock" environment with epidote, actinolite, albite, hematite, and calcite.

A massive compact variety of clinochlore used as a decorative carving stone is referred to by the trade name seraphinite.