PERIDOTITE

This ultramafic rock was excavated and formed during the Middle Miocene to Pliocene period, approximately 13.82 and 2.58 million years ago.
Peridotite has a dense, coarse-grained texture and a colour spectrum from dark green to black. This characteristic indicates that it has undergone a slow cooling process beneath the subsurface of Earth. Peridotite is occasionally mistaken for serpentinite, yet it can be discerned by its darker appearance, setting it apart from the typically lighter-coloured serpentinite.

Predominantly composed of olivine and pyroxene minerals, peridotite is commonly associated with tectonically active regions near mid-ocean ridges and subduction zones. While its hardness limits its use in construction, specific varieties like dunite, rich in olivine, find applications as decorative stones and gemstones, with olivine being widely recognised as peridot.