Olivine Mineral Data

Olivine Mineral Data +

General Olivine Information

Chemical Formula:

(Mg,Fe)2SiO4

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

Empirical Formula:

Mg_1.6Fe²⁺_0.4(SiO₄)

Environment:

Basic and ultra basic igneous rocks. Goup species name.

IMA Status:

Not Approved IMA

Locality:

Common world wide occurrence. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the green color.

Synonym:

Chrysolite - light yellowish green

Peridot

Olivine Image

Images:

Olivine Forsterite

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

Olivine Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.4663:1:0.6146

Cell Dimensions:

a = 4.78, b = 10.25, c = 6.3, Z = 4; V = 308.67 Den(Calc)= 3.30

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: Pbnm

Crystal Structure:

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Nord A G , Annersten H , Filippidis A , American Mineralogist , 67 (1982) p.1206-1211, The cation distribution in synthetic Mg-Fe-Ni olivines, sample H2

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Olivine
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Physical Properties of Olivine

Cleavage:

[001] Good, [010] Distinct

Color:

Yellowish green, Olive green, Greenish black, Reddish brown.

Density:

3.27 - 3.37, Average = 3.32

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to translucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.

Habit:

Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.

Hardness:

6.5-7 - Pyrite-Quartz

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Olivine

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

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

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.25 gm/cc
note: r_Olivine=3.30 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.03721
Boson Index = 0.96279

Photoelectric:

PE_Olivine= 5.56 barns/electron
U=PE_Olivine x r_electron= 18.11 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Olivine is Not Radioactive

Olivine Classification

Dana Class:

51.3.1.0 (51)Nesosilicate Insular SiO4 Groups Only

(51.3)with all cations in octahedral [6] coordination

(51.3.1)Olivine group

51.3.1.0 Olivine * (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

51.3.1.1 Fayalite Fe2SiO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

51.3.1.2 Forsterite Mg2SiO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

51.3.1.3 Liebenbergite (Ni,Mg)2SiO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

51.3.1.4 Tephroite Mn2SiO4 P nma 2/m 2/m 2/m

51.3.1.5 Laihunite FeFe2(SiO4)2 P 2₁/b 2/m

Strunz Class:

VIII/A.04-00 VIII - Silicates

VIII/A - Nesosilicates with [SiO4]4-groups, cations of octahedral orientation [6]

VIII/A.04 - Olivine group

Other Olivine Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Dana) OPTIC PROP.(Dana)

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Olivine

(Mg,Fe)2SiO4
Dana No: 51.3.1.0 Strunz No: VIII/A.04-00
Locality:

Notes: