6.2" Polished Olivine Peridot Slab - Washington

About Peridot

Peridot is a magnesium iron silicate mineral with the basic chemical formula Mg2SiO4. It is a gem variety of the mineral forsterite, and ranges between yellow, olive, and brownish green depending on the amount of iron present during formation. Dark, olive green-colored peridot gems are typically the most sought after. Peridot was originally named as topaz and was used for a variety of reasons, whether it be during the Crusades as a way to adorn religious objects, or even thought by many to posses medicinal powers. For unknown reasons, the original name was removed and given to the mineral that most know as topaz today, sometime during the 18th century.

Many gem-quality specimens were originally in basalt nodules in the Earth's mantle, and were fragmented and brought to the surface by volcanic activity. Large peridot crystals are often found in some types of rare, stony-iron meteorites know as pallasites.

Magnetite is an iron oxide mineral with the chemical formula Fe₃O₄. It is the most magnetic naturally-occurring mineral on Earth and is an important iron ore. It has an iron content of up to 72.4 percent, which explains why it is such a commonly mined iron ore. Magnetite can be found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock.