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The mineral olivine (/ ˈ ɒ l. ɪ ˌ v iː n /) is a magnesium iron silicate with the chemical formula (Mg,Fe) 2 Si O 4.It is a type of nesosilicate or orthosilicate.The primary component of the Earth's upper mantle, [9] it is a common mineral in Earth's subsurface, but weathers quickly on the surface.
Olivine, of which peridot is a type, is a common mineral in mafic and ultramafic rocks, often found in lava and in peridotite xenoliths of the mantle, which lava carries to the surface; however, gem-quality peridot occurs in only a fraction of these settings. Peridots can also be found in meteorites.
This is reflected in the composition of the mafic minerals making up the peridotite. Olivine is the essential mineral found in all peridotites. It is a magnesium orthosilicate containing some iron with the variable formula (Mg,Fe) 2 SiO 4. The magnesium-rich olivine of peridotites is typically olive-green in color. [20]
Olivine is the typical color of the mineral olivine. Olivine crystals. The first recorded use of olivine as a color name in English was in 1912. [3] Olive drab
Tephroite has a hardness of 6 and a specific gravity of approximately 4.1, which is heavy for non-metallic minerals. Its name comes from the Greek tephros, "ash gray", for its color. [4] It can also be found olive-green, greenish-blue, pink, or brown. Other names for tephroite include mangan olivine and mangan peridot.
Streak plates with pyrite (left) and rhodochrosite (right). The streak of a mineral is the color of the powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. Unlike the apparent color of a mineral, which for most minerals can vary considerably, the trail of finely ground powder generally has a more consistent characteristic color, and is thus an important diagnostic tool in mineral ...
Fayalite (Fe 2 SiO 4, commonly abbreviated to Fa) is the iron-rich end-member of the olivine solid-solution series. In common with all minerals in the olivine group, fayalite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system (space group Pbnm) with cell parameters a 4.82 Å, b 10.48 Å and c 6.09 Å.
False-color scanning electron microscope image of kimberlite from South Africa. Olivine crystals (green) are in a fine-grained matrix made up of clay minerals and carbonates (presented in blue, purple and buff colors). Kimberlite is an igneous rock and a rare variant of peridotite. It is most commonly known to be the main host matrix for diamonds.