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Peridot
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General Information:
Peridot is the traditional birthstone for the month of August. The ancient
Romans nicknamed the gem 'emerald of the evening,' since even in artificial
light the stunning green color does not change. Peridot can be found in ancient
Egyptian jewelry from the early 2nd Millenium B.C. The stones the Egyptians
used came from a small volcanic island in the red sea. This island was
rediscovered around 1900 and has been exhausted of any remaining peridot.
Peridot is from the Olivine mineral group. The olivine group is isomorphous
(meaning they all have the same crystal structure), varying in chemical
composition. The beautiful green color of peridot is due to the amount ferrous
iron present, which is then modified by trace amounts of Fe3+, Ti4+ and Ni2+.
Specimans with a higher ratio of magnesium have a more desirable green hue,
while higher concentrations of iron have more of a yellow-green to
brownish-green color.
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Origin:
Originally the volcanic island Zabargad (St. John) in the Red Sea was the most
important site of peridot, but has since been completely exploited. Today
peridot is found in; Pakistan, Myanmar (Burma), Vietnam, Australia
(Queensland), Brazil (Minas Gerais), China, Kenya, Mexico, Norway (north of
Bergen), South Africa, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Tanzania and the United States
(Arizona and Hawaii). |
Common Treatments and Lab Created
Forms:
There are no known treatments used to enhance peridot.
There are also no lab created peridot, only simulated. |
Physical Properties:
Moh's Scale Hardness: 6.5-7.0
Specific Gravity: 3.22 - 3.45
Refractive Index: 1.65 - 1.69
Fracture: conchoidal
Crystal Habit: commonly as compact or granular masses, also as loose or
embedded grains, sometimes in volcanic nodules. Crystals are rare, usually as
vertically striated prisms.
Colors: olive green, green, yellow, brown
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