Peridotite identification and geology

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• Dunite
• Pyroxenite
• Serpentinite

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

2026-03-30T14:38:08.589193+00:00

Review status

Published; not independently peer-reviewed

• Rocks — U.S. National Park Service. Authoritative overview of rock groups, the rock cycle, and geologic processes.
• Can you identify my rock or mineral? — U.S. Geological Survey. Identification limitations and routes to in-person professional verification.

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Common questions

What is Peridotite?

Dense, dark ultramafic rock composed mainly of olivine. The dominant rock of the Earth upper mantle.

How can you identify Peridotite?

Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records rock type: Igneous Intrusive/Mantle; texture: Phaneritic; grain size: Coarse; common minerals: Olivine, Pyroxene, Garnet at depth, Spinel. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.

How does Peridotite form?

Forms as the primary rock of the upper mantle; also crystallizes from ultramafic magmas in layered intrusions.

Where is Peridotite commonly found?

Mantle xenoliths worldwide, ophiolites, layered intrusions like Bushveld. Oman, Papua New Guinea.

What is Peridotite commonly confused with?

Peridotite may be confused with Dunite, Pyroxenite, Serpentinite. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.