| Peridot is a forsteritic olivine variety. Olivine is one of the most common minerals on earth, but its gemstone variety, peridot is relatively rare. Peridot comes in different shades of green that ranges from yellow-green to brownish-green. It is one of the few gemstones that comes only in one color. The depth of its color depends on the amount of iron in its crystal structure. Peridot crystals are usually collected from iron-nickel meteorites. It is usually faceted, but it can also be polished or set in its raw form.
Peridot is often referred to as a “poor man’s emerald.” It is mined in Brazil, Australia, Mexico, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, China, Norway, Burma, South Africa, Pakistan, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, and Arizona, North Carolina, Nevada, Hawaii, and New Mexico in the US. |
