Olivine Group

(A2+)2SiO4

Olivine End-Members
Forsterite Mg2SiO4
Fayalite Fe2SiO4
Tephroite Mn2SiO4
Liebenbergite Ni2SiO4
Co-olivine Co2SiO4
Ca-olivine Ca2SiO4
Monticellite CaMgSiO4
Kirschsteinite CaFeSiO4
Glaucochroite CaMnSiO4

Olivine Occurrences
Forsterite - Fayalite

Fo90 Olivine is major mineral of upper mantle

Minor phase in basalt and gabbro
Fayalite is secondary in silicic volcanics

Monticellite accessory in mantle nudules

Tephroite and glaucochroite
silicic volcanics and Mn skarns

Liebenbergite secondary in Ni deposits

Olivine Nodules, San Carlos

Gabbro, Skaergaard

Olivine in Gabbro

Olivine Structure

Olivine Structure

Orthorhombic Pbnm
a = 4.7 - 5.1
b = 10.1 - 11.2
c = 5.9 - 7.8
Z=4

Olivine Structure
M1

Pt sym = -1 @ (0, 0, 0)

M2

Pt symm = m @ ( x, y, 1/4)

Si

Pt symm = m @ ( x, y, 1/4)

O1, O2

Pt symm = m @ ( x, y, 1/4)

O3

Pt symm = 1 @ ( x, y, z)

Olivine M1

M1 is at origin
Smaller M site
More distorted in angles
Less distorted in distances
Mg, Fe olivines are disordered
Ni prefers M1

Olivine M2

On mirror at (x, y, 1/4)

Larger M site
Less distorted in angles
More distorted in distances
Mg, Fe olivines are disordered
Ca, Mn prefer M2

Olivine Chemistry
Mantle olivines are Fo94 - Fo86
Minor elements are divalent
cations and H
Ni (M1) up to 0.1 wt % NiO
Mn (M2) up to 0.1 wt% MnO
Ca (M2) up to 0.1 wt% CaO

Very low in mono- and tri-valent

cations
Minor P in meteoritic Olivine

Olivine Stability

Olivine Thermal Expansion

End-Member
Formula
Sample
T range
Unit cell
V (x 10-5 K-1)
a (x 10-5 K-1)
b (x 10-5 K-1)
c (x 10-5 K-1)
Polyhedral Volumes
M1
M2
T
NPV
Reference

Forsterite
Mg2SiO4
Synthetic
23-1600C

Fayalite
Fe2SiO4
Synthetic
20-900C

Liebenbergite
Ni2SiO4
Synthetic
25-900C

Monticellite
CaMg0.93Fe0.07SiO4
Natural
25-795C

Glaucochroite
Ca0.98Mn0.87Mg0.10SiO4
Natural
25-800C

Chrysoberyl
Al2BeO4
Natural
25-690C

4.36
1.12
1.67
1.46
(x 10-5 K-1)
4.32
5.07
0
4.40
Takeuchi et al.
(1984)

3.19
0.99
0.95
1.19

3.44
1.19
1.11
1.12

2.97
1.01
0.99
1.13

3.17
1.05
1.00
1.09

2.39
0.74
0.85
0.83

2.88
4.51
-1.17
3.37
Smyth (1975)

4.19
3.68
0.36
3.33
Lager & Meagher
(1978)

4.68
3.62
-1.23
3.20
Lager & Meagher
(1978)

4.55
4.01
-2.13
2.81
Lager & Meagher
(1978)

2.25
3.89
2.57
1.99
Hazen and Finger
(1987)

Olivine Compression
End-member
Formula
Sample
Pmax (GPa)
KT0 (GPa)
K
Axial Compressions
a
b
c
Site bulk moduli (GPa)
M1
M2
Si
Reference

Forsterite
Mg2SiO4
Synthetic
5.0
132
4.0 (fixed)
(10-3 GPa-1)
1.6
4.3
0.8

Forsterite
Mg2SiO4
Synthetic
14.9
123
4.3

Fayalite
Fe2SiO4
Synthetic
4.2
113
4 (fixed)

Fayalite
Fe1..94Mn0.11Mg0.04SiO4
Natural
14.0
132
4 (fixed)

Monticellite
Ca0.99Mg0.91Fe0.09SiO4
Natural
6.2
113
4 (fixed)

Chrysoberyl
Al2BeO4
Natural
6.25
242
4 (fixed)

LiScSiO4
synthetic
5.6
118
4 (fixed)

1.5
2.8
2.7

0.8
5.8
1.4

1.2
4.0
1.3

1.96
3.62
2.05

1.09
1.47
1.32

2.70
2.80
2.61

120
100
>550
Hazen (1976)

140
130
190
Kudoh &
Takeuchi (1985)

>500
Hazen (1977)

130
130
>400
Kudoh & Takeda (1986)

150
110
>300
Sharp et al. (1987)

180
300
300
Hazen (1987)

84
204
315
Hazen et al.
(1996)

Hydration of Olivine
Unit Cell parameters and complete crystal structure
refinements. (Hydrous olivine composition)
Fo 100:
Pure Synthetic Forsterite
SC:
San Carlos olivine (Fo91)
San Carlos + H2O 1 GPa @ 1100
CS
SS0001:
SS0003:
SS0004:

12 GPa @ 1200 C (Wadsleyite + Olivine)

12 GPa @ 1400 C (Olivine only)
12 GPa @ 1600 C (Olivine only)

Cell Volume vs Fo#

Unit Cell Volume (^3)

292.5

SC

292

CS

291.5

SS0004
SS0003

291

SS0001
290.5

Fo100

290
90

92

94

96
Fo#

98

100

M2 Vol vs Mg Occupancy
12.52

SC

M2 Volume (^3)

12.51
12.5

CS

12.49

SS0004

12.48
12.47

SS0003

12.46

SS0001

12.45
12.44

Fo100

12.43
90

92

94

96
Fo #

98

100