How is peridot extracted and then processed?

Peridot? You mean that greenish yellowish mineral that makes a somewhat halfway satisfactory gemstone of modest value? The gemmy variety of olivine? Crush the rocks they are in and sort them out, I suppose. read more

I believe many are simply tumble polished, but perhaps some is hand polished. It is possible to cut them with gem-cutting tools, and create a faceted gemstone. Olivine is found mostly in mafic volcanics and intrusive igneous rocks. Olivine (and peridot is an olivine) is not a particularly durable mineral as gemmy minerals go. read more

Pamela B. Zohar, M.S. in geology, +35 years work experience in exploration and mining geology. read more