Clinochlore is one of the more common members of the Chlorite Group of minerals. These minerals are all difficult to differentiate by ordinary means and often the general mineral name chlorite is given to specimens that lack distinguishing characterics.

Clinochlore forms a series with the mineral chamosite. Chamosite is the iron rich equivalent of clinochlore. Their properties are only slightly different with chamosite being darker and less transparent than clinochlore. A chromium rich variety of clinochlore is known as kaemmererite and is quite beautiful and wonderfully colored bright lavender to crimson.