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==Occurrence==
Olivine 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 North Carolina[[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==
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