Mineralogy Database

Olivine Mineral Data

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General Olivine Information

Help on Chemical Formula: Chemical Formula: (Mg,Fe)2SiO4
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 153.31 gm
   Magnesium  25.37 %  Mg   42.06 % MgO
   Iron       14.57 %  Fe   18.75 % FeO
   Silicon    18.32 %  Si   39.19 % SiO2
   Oxygen     41.74 %  O
             ______        ______ 
             100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Mg1.6Fe2+0.4(SiO4)
Help on Environment: Environment: Basic and ultra basic igneous rocks. Goup species name.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Not Approved IMA
Help on Locality: Locality: Common world wide occurrence. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named after the green color.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Olivine Say OLIVINE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: Calcio-olivine - calcium-dominant member of the olivine group
  Chrysolite - light yellowish green
  Peridot
 

Olivine Image

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  Forsterite   Olivine

Comments: Peridot (Forsterite) recrystallized at the base.
Location: Skardu, Nooristan, Pakistan. Scale: 2.5 x 2.7 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Olivine Crystallography
Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =0.4663:1:0.6146
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 4.78, b = 10.25, c = 6.3, Z = 4; V = 308.67 Den(Calc)= 3.30
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal H-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: Pbnm
 

Physical Properties of Olivine

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {001} Good, {010} Distinct
Help on Color: Color: Yellowish green, Olive green, Greenish black, Reddish brown.
Help on Density: Density: 3.27 - 3.37, Average = 3.32
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Transparent to translucent
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.
Help on Habit: Habit: Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 6.5-7 - Pyrite-Quartz
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Non-fluorescent.
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Olivine

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= 0.01 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.004 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2,KPDmeas= 0.1988,KC= 0.2009
Ncalc = 1.66 - 1.68
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (+), a=1.63-1.65, b=1.65-1.67, g=1.67-1.69, bire=0.0400, 2V(Calc)=88, 2V(Meas)=46-98. Dispersion relatively weak.
 

Calculated Properties of Olivine

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.25 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Olivine =3.30 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.03
Boson Index = 0.97
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEOlivine = 5.56 barns/electron
U=PEOlivine x rElectron Density= 18.11 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Olivine is Not Radioactive
 

Olivine Classification
Help on Dana Class: Dana Class: 51.03.01.00 (51)Nesosilicate Insular SiO4 Groups Only
  (51.03)with all cations in octahedral [6] coordination
  (51.03.01)Olivine group
 
51.03.01.00 Olivine* (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m
 
51.03.01.01 Fayalite Fe2SiO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m
 
51.03.01.02 Forsterite Mg2SiO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m
 
51.03.01.03 Liebenbergite (Ni,Mg)2SiO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m
 
51.03.01.04 Tephroite Mn2SiO4 P nma 2/m 2/m 2/m
 
51.03.01.05 Laihunite FeFe2(SiO4)2 P 21/b 2/m
Help on Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 09.AC.05 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)
  09.A - Nesosilicates
  09.AC -Nesosilicates without additional anions;
 
09.AC.05 Forsterite Mg2SiO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m
 
09.AC.05 Glaucochroite CaMnSiO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m
 
09.AC.05 Fayalite Fe2SiO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m
 
09.AC.05 Olivine* (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m
 
09.AC.05 Kirschsteinite CaFeSiO4 Pbmn 2/m 2/m 2/m
 
09.AC.05 Laihunite FeFe2(SiO4)2 P 21/b 2/m
 
09.AC.05 Liebenbergite (Ni,Mg)2SiO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m
 
09.AC.05 Tephroite Mn2SiO4 P nma 2/m 2/m 2/m
 

Other Olivine Information
Help on References: References: NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Dana) OPTIC PROP.(Dana)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Olivine :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
4 - Athena
5 - CalTech Mineral Spectroscopy
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Glendale Community College
8 - Google Images
9 - Google Scholar
10 - HyperPhysics
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom
13 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
14 - Minerals in Thin Section-University of North Carolina
15 - Minerals in Thin Sections-Humboldt State
16 - Online Mineral Museum
17 - Philatelic Mineralogy
18 - QUT Mineral Atlas
19 - Ruff.Info
20 - Tradeshop.com - The Rainbow of Gems
21 - UCLA - Petrography Thin-Sections
22 - University of Colorado - Mineral Structure Data
23 - University of Texas at Austin
24 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Olivine Specimen Label here :

Olivine

(Mg,Fe)2SiO4
Dana No: 51.03.01.00 Strunz No: 09.AC.05
Locality:

 

Notes:

 
 
   
 

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