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Olivine identification and geology

A group of orthorhombic nesosilicate minerals with the general formula Mg,Fe ₂SiO₄, forming a complete solid solution between the magnesium end member forsterite Mg₂SiO₄ and the iron end member fayalite Fe₂SiO₄ . Olivine is the most abundant mineral in the Earth's upper mantle and is a common constituent of mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks. It is characterized by its olive-green color, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, and Mohs hardness of 6.5–7. Field: mineralogy. Example: Green olivine crystals peridot in Hawaiian basalt are xenocrysts carried up from the mantle, and beaches near Papakōlea on the Big Island are colored green by concentrated olivine grains eroded from surrounding basalt flows.. Related terms: Forsterite, Fayalite, Peridotite, Nesosilicate.

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Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:42.055955+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Olivine mean in geology?
A group of orthorhombic nesosilicate minerals with the general formula Mg,Fe ₂SiO₄, forming a complete solid solution between the magnesium end member forsterite Mg₂SiO₄ and the iron end member fayalite Fe₂SiO₄ . Olivine is the most abundant mineral in the Earth's upper mantle and is a common constituent of mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks. It is characterized by its olive-green color, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, and Mohs hardness of 6.5–7.
What is an example of Olivine?
Green olivine crystals peridot in Hawaiian basalt are xenocrysts carried up from the mantle, and beaches near Papakōlea on the Big Island are colored green by concentrated olivine grains eroded from surrounding basalt flows.
Which earth-science field uses the term Olivine?
Olivine is used in mineralogy.
Which terms are related to Olivine?
Related terms in this reference are Forsterite, Fayalite, Peridotite, Nesosilicate.

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