Peridot
Variety of forsterite
Uncommon · (Mg,Fe)₂SiO₄
The gem variety of olivine, coloured green by iron. Its colour range is narrow, from brownish green through yellowish green to pure green. Found in basaltic volcanic rocks that brought mantle rock to the surface, and also in some meteorites that have fallen to Earth.
Identity
- Formula
- (Mg,Fe)₂SiO₄
- Chemical class
- Silicate
- Mineral group
- Olivine
- Also known as
- Olivine (mineral), Chrysolite (archaic)
Crystallography
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Habits
- Massive, Granular, Tabular
- Fracture
- Conchoidal
Physical properties
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5
- Density
- 3.32 g/cm³
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Colors
- green, yellow-green, olive green, brown
- Streak
- white
- Transparency
- Transparent, Translucent
Geology
- Origins
- Igneous, Metamorphic
- Host rocks
- Volcanic rock, Ultramafic rock (peridotite, serpentinite)
- Associated minerals
- pyroxene, Spinel, Chromite
- Geography
- Egypt (Zabargad), Pakistan, Myanmar, USA (Arizona), China
Classification
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Gem quality
- Yes
Arcane properties
- Affinity
- Earth, Life
- Effects
- Healing, Elemental earth
- Planar origin
- Material Plane
Sources
- Peridot. Mindat.org (Hudson Institute of Mineralogy).
- J. W. Anthony, R. A. Bideaux, K. W. Bladh, M. C. Nichols, Forsterite. Mineral Data Publishing, Handbook of Mineralogy, 2001.
- Peridot. Gemdat.org (Hudson Institute of Mineralogy).
- Peridot Description. Gemological Institute of America, Gem Encyclopedia.
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