Olivine (peridot)

ETYMOLOGY: Because of the olive green color.

CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Rhombic.

PRINCIPLE OF FORMATION: Primary.

CLASS MINERAL: Silicates.

CHEMICAL FORMULA, MINERAL ELEMENTS: (Mg, Fe) 2 [SiO4].

HARDNESS:  6.5- 7  on the Mohs scale.

FIELDS: Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Canary Islands.

MINERALOGY: It is a mineral belonging to an isomorphic series at one end the fosferita (Mg2 [SiO4]) and the other fayalite (Fe2 [SiO4]), has primary origin in deep rocks composed of ultrabasic magmas. It is often driven by the rising magma and expelled outside in volcanic eruptions. This mineral is also known as chrysotile.

MYTHOLOGY: Peridot was introduced in Central Europe by the Crusaders. In the Middle Ages, it was widely used by the church. It was the favorite stone of the Baroque era. Peridot was already used in Egypt as a gem and healing stone two thousand years before Christ. The largest cut peridot weighing 310ct, comes from the island Zebirget (Egypt) belongs to the Smithsonian Institution of Washington (USA).

PROPERTIES: It is said that the olivine is useful to live our own lives and treasure wisdom of all the experiences of life, eliminating stress that is rooted in self-reproach and guilt, alleviates jealousy, resentment, spite and anger , power, confidence and assertiveness without aggression, this stone promotes psychological clarity and well-being.

CHAKRAS: Spleen and heart.

ZODIAC SIGN: Libra.

USES: Jewellery, meditation, collection, has industrial applications as a refractory material for furnaces, some olivine-rich rocks so are mineral chromium, nickel and platinum why can have economic interest.