Peridot: Difference between revisions

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'''Peridot''' (pronounced "pear-uh-dot" or "pear-uh-doe", IPA: /pɛɹɪdɑːt/ or Fr. /peʁido/) is the gem quality variety of [[forsterite|forsteritic]] [[olivine]]. The chemical composition of peridot is (Mg, Fe)₂SiO₄, with Mg in greater quantities than Fe. The name of the gemstone is believed to come from either the Arabic word ''faridat'' meaning "gem" or the French word ''peritot'' meaning "unclear." Peridot is one of the few gemstones that comes in only one color. The depth of green depends on how much [[iron]] is contained in the crystal structure, and varies from yellow-green to olive to brownish green. Peridot is also often referred to as "poor man's emerald". [[Olivine]] is a very abundant mineral, but gem-quality peridot is rather rare. Peridot crystals have been collected from iron-nickel [[meteorite]]s.

==Occurrence==

PeridotOlivine is a common mineral in [[mafic]] and [[ultramafic rock]]s, and is often found in [[lava]]s and in [[peridotite]] [[xenolith]]s of the [[mantle]] that lavas carry to the surface; however, gem-quality peridot only occurs in a fraction of these settings. Peridot is mined in [[Arizona]], [[Hawaii]], [[Nevada]], and [[New Mexico]], in the US, and in [[Australia]], [[Brazil]], [[China]], [[Kenya]], [[Mexico]], [[Myanmar]] (Burma), [[Norway]], [[Pakistan]], [[South Africa]], [[Sri Lanka]], and [[Tanzania]]. Peridot of high quality is commercially mined in the eastern lava fields of [[Saudi Arabia]]. The largest cut peridot is a 310 [[Carat (mass)|carat]] (62 g) specimen in the [[Smithsonian Museum]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]. A special variety of a peridot from [[Pakistan]] is known as "Kashmir" peridot. Due to the large size of the rough stones found there, cutters have successfully created faceted stones of over 100 carats (20 g) from the rough gems of this area.

==History and Lore==

It is the [[birthstone]] for the month of August. According to [[folklore]], the peridot will bring its wearer success, peace, and good luck. Peridot has been found in [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] [[jewellery]] from the early second millennium [[BCE]] and was mined from the [[volcanic]] island of [[Zabargad|Zebirget]], or St. Johns Island, in the [[Red Sea]]. Native Hawaiians referred to peridot crystals as the tears of [[Pele (mythology)|Pele]], their goddess of fire.

==External links==