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Materials

Olivine

OL-ih-veen
Mineral Group

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A magnesium iron silicate and the primary component of Earth's upper mantle, common in the subsurface but quick to weather at the surface. Its clear green gem variety is peridot, and it also serves industrial uses such as metalworking processes.

Facts
Kind
Mineral 1
Formation Class
Nesosilicate, crystallizing early and at high temperature from mafic and ultramafic magma; the dominant mineral of the Earth's upper mantle. 1
Chemical Formula
(Mg,Fe)2SiO4 1
Hardness (Mohs)
6.5 1
Commonly cited range is 6.5 to 7.0 on the Mohs scale; 6.5 is used here.
Cross-Tradition Connections

In Discipline

Mineralogy, Disciplines
Source Olivine (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Olivine (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead section
Quote, Lead section
The primary component of the Earth's upper mantle, it is a common mineral in Earth's subsurface, but weathers quickly on the surface.
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1. Olivine (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationInfobox
Quote, Infobox
Mohs scale hardness: 6.5-7.0
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