Peridotite Rock
A Peridotite Rock is a dense, coarse-grained igneous rock consisting mostly of the silicate minerals olivine and pyroxene.
- Context:
- It can (typically) be Ultramafic Rock, that contains less than 45% silica.
- It can (typically) be a dominant rock of the Earth's Upper Mantle.
- It can (often) be high in Magnesium, reflecting the high proportions of magnesium-rich olivine, with appreciable iron.
- It can (often) be derived from Earth's mantle, either as solid blocks and fragments or as crystals accumulated from magmas that formed in the mantle.
- It can contain nodules that are of special interest to paleogeologists as they provide clues to the early composition of Earth's mantle.
- It is named after the gemstone which consists of pale green olivine.
- …
- Example(s):
- from nodules in some Basalts and Kimberlite Pipes.
- from a Peridotitic Outcrops, that range from earthy bright yellow to dark green.
- …
- Counter-Example(s):
- See: Iddingsite, Dunite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Igneous Rock, Calcite, Igneous, Chromite.
References
2021
- https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/10/44-01-secures-5m-to-turn-billions-of-tons-of-carbon-dioxide-to-stone/
- quote: ... The process of mineralizing CO2 is well known among geologists and climate scientists. A naturally occurring stone called peridotite reacts with the gas and water to produce calcite, another common and harmless mineral. In fact this has occurred at enormous scales throughout history, as witnessed by large streaks of calcite piercing peridotite deposits. ...
2021
- (Wikipedia, 2021) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peridotite Retrieved:2021-8-14.
- Peridotite is a dense, coarse-grained igneous rock consisting mostly of the silicate minerals olivine and pyroxene. Peridotite is ultramafic, as the rock contains less than 45% silica. It is high in magnesium (Mg2+), reflecting the high proportions of magnesium-rich olivine, with appreciable iron. Peridotite is derived from Earth's mantle, either as solid blocks and fragments, or as crystals accumulated from magmas that formed in the mantle. The compositions of peridotites from these layered igneous complexes vary widely, reflecting the relative proportions of pyroxenes, chromite, plagioclase, and amphibole.
Peridotite is the dominant rock of the upper part of Earth's mantle. The compositions of peridotite nodules found in certain basalts and diamond pipes (kimberlites) are of special interest, because they provide samples of Earth's mantle brought up from depths ranging from about 30 km to 200 km or more. Some of the nodules preserve isotope ratios of osmium and other elements that record processes that occurred when Earth was formed, and so they are of special interest to paleogeologists because they provide clues to the early composition of Earth's mantle and the complexities of the processes that occurred.
The word peridotite comes from the gemstone peridot, which consists of pale green olivine. [1] Classic peridotite is bright green with some specks of black, although most hand samples tend to be darker green. Peridotitic outcrops typically range from earthy bright yellow to dark green in color; this is because olivine is easily weathered to iddingsite. While green and yellow are the most common colors, peridotitic rocks may exhibit a wide range of colors including blue, brown, and red.
- Peridotite is a dense, coarse-grained igneous rock consisting mostly of the silicate minerals olivine and pyroxene. Peridotite is ultramafic, as the rock contains less than 45% silica. It is high in magnesium (Mg2+), reflecting the high proportions of magnesium-rich olivine, with appreciable iron. Peridotite is derived from Earth's mantle, either as solid blocks and fragments, or as crystals accumulated from magmas that formed in the mantle. The compositions of peridotites from these layered igneous complexes vary widely, reflecting the relative proportions of pyroxenes, chromite, plagioclase, and amphibole.
- ↑ Collins Australian Dictionary, 7th edition