Mineral group · Olivine group
Olivine
(Mg,Fe)2SiO4 (forsterite–fayalite series)
Olivine is the magnesium iron silicate series (forsterite to fayalite) that makes up the upper mantle, arrives in basalt as green nodules (San Carlos, Arizona; Lanzarote) and in pallasite meteorites, and is called peridot when gem quality (Zabargad, Myanmar, Pakistan's Sapat). Sapat peridot crystals on matrix are the collector specimen; San Carlos nodules are cheap. Olive-green colour and conchoidal fracture identify it.
| Formula | (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 (forsterite–fayalite series) |
|---|---|
| IMA status | group |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic |
| Mohs hardness | 6.5–7 |
| Group | Olivine group |
| Type locality | None |
| Streak | White |
| Specific gravity | 3.3 |
Elsewhere
- Wikidata: Q22693
- Wikipedia: olivine
- Mindat: Olivine
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Olivine" (Mineral). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/minerals/olivine. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-olivine,
title = {Olivine},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/minerals/olivine}},
year = {2026},
note = {Mineral article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, wikidata, commons. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.