Peridot Mesa (Peridot occurrence 38), San Carlos, Gila County, Arizona, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Peridot Mesa (Peridot occurrence 38) | Mesa |
| San Carlos | Town |
| Gila County | County |
| Arizona | State |
| USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
33° 19' 49'' North , 110° 29' 35'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| San Carlos | 4,038 (2015) | 3.9km |
| Peridot | 1,350 (2011) | 4.1km |
| Pinal | 439 (2011) | 24.7km |
| Six Shooter Canyon | 1,019 (2017) | 26.5km |
| Copper Hill | 108 (2011) | 27.5km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Gila County Gem & Mineral Society | Miami, Arizona | 36km |
A peridot/olivine mine located in secs. 18, 19 & 30, T1S, R19E; and in secs. 22-27, T1S, R18E, immediately SW of San Carlos.
This site has been described as the most productive peridot locality in North America.
Mineralization is a mesa capped by a basalt flow from 10 to more than 100 feet thick, underlain by flat-lying tuffs, siltstones & gravels. These sedimentary rocks are regarded as the equivalent of the Gila Conglomerate and therefore of Pliocene or Pleistocene age. The peridot occurs in roughly ellipsoidal bombs, or segregations, in basalt & cinders erupted from a volcanic cone that occupies the SW corner of the mesa. It is present as euhedral crystals and as rounded grains. The ellipsoidal segregations containing the peridot make up 25 to 40% of the rock volume and average 3 to 8 inches in maximum diameter.
Workings: Mined intermittently by individuals (up to 50), who worked scattered portions of the deposit using hand methods. Also was mined by 5-10 person operations that are more mechanized. Most stones are gathered from debris resulting from the erosion of basalt. Prime locations are around the rim of the volcanic cone, in washes adjacent to the cone, and in small canyons that breach the north rim of the mesa.
Assay data: The olivine zone should maintain a minimum olivine content of 30% to be economical. The portions of the deposit olivine-rich zone with greater than 30% olivine are: SE¼ sec. 15, S½ sec. 14, sec. 22, N½ and SW¼ sec. 23, NW¼ sec. 26, and the NE¼ sec. 27, T1S, R18E.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsMineral List
8 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Albite var. Anorthoclase Formula: (Na,K)AlSi3O8 Description: Occurs as crystals in volcanic flow rocks. |
| ⓘ 'Apatite' Formula: Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| ⓘ 'Clinopyroxene Subgroup' |
| ⓘ Diopside Formula: CaMgSi2O6 References: |
| ⓘ Diopside var. Chromium-bearing Diopside Formula: Ca(Mg,Cr)Si2O6 References: |
| ⓘ Forsterite Formula: Mg2(SiO4) |
| ⓘ Forsterite var. Peridot Formula: Mg2SiO4 |
| ⓘ Hercynite Formula: Fe2+Al2O4 |
| ⓘ Kaersutite Formula: NaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2 |
| ⓘ Magnetite ? Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2O4 |
| ⓘ Nepheline Formula: Na3K(Al4Si4O16) Description: Nepheline is an interstitial phase in unaltered basalt. |
| ⓘ Pargasite Formula: NaCa2(Mg4Al)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Spinel Formula: MgAl2O4 |
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Hercynite | 4.BB.05 | Fe2+Al2O4 |
| ⓘ | Magnetite ? | 4.BB.05 | Fe2+Fe3+2O4 |
| ⓘ | Spinel | 4.BB.05 | MgAl2O4 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Forsterite | 9.AC.05 | Mg2(SiO4) |
| ⓘ | var. Peridot | 9.AC.05 | Mg2SiO4 |
| ⓘ | Diopside var. Chromium-bearing Diopside | 9.DA.15 | Ca(Mg,Cr)Si2O6 |
| ⓘ | 9.DA.15 | CaMgSi2O6 | |
| ⓘ | Kaersutite | 9.DE.15 | NaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2 |
| ⓘ | Pargasite | 9.DE.15 | NaCa2(Mg4Al)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | Nepheline | 9.FA.05 | Na3K(Al4Si4O16) |
| ⓘ | Albite var. Anorthoclase | 9.FA.35 | (Na,K)AlSi3O8 |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Clinopyroxene Subgroup' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Apatite' | - | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Pargasite | NaCa2(Mg4Al)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Albite var. Anorthoclase | (Na,K)AlSi3O8 |
| O | ⓘ Diopside var. Chromium-bearing Diopside | Ca(Mg,Cr)Si2O6 |
| O | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| O | ⓘ Forsterite | Mg2(SiO4) |
| O | ⓘ Hercynite | Fe2+Al2O4 |
| O | ⓘ Kaersutite | NaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2 |
| O | ⓘ Magnetite | Fe2+Fe23+O4 |
| O | ⓘ Nepheline | Na3K(Al4Si4O16) |
| O | ⓘ Pargasite | NaCa2(Mg4Al)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Spinel | MgAl2O4 |
| O | ⓘ Forsterite var. Peridot | Mg2SiO4 |
| O | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| F | Fluorine | |
| F | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| Na | Sodium | |
| Na | ⓘ Albite var. Anorthoclase | (Na,K)AlSi3O8 |
| Na | ⓘ Kaersutite | NaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2 |
| Na | ⓘ Nepheline | Na3K(Al4Si4O16) |
| Na | ⓘ Pargasite | NaCa2(Mg4Al)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2 |
| Mg | Magnesium | |
| Mg | ⓘ Diopside var. Chromium-bearing Diopside | Ca(Mg,Cr)Si2O6 |
| Mg | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| Mg | ⓘ Forsterite | Mg2(SiO4) |
| Mg | ⓘ Kaersutite | NaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2 |
| Mg | ⓘ Pargasite | NaCa2(Mg4Al)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2 |
| Mg | ⓘ Spinel | MgAl2O4 |
| Mg | ⓘ Forsterite var. Peridot | Mg2SiO4 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Albite var. Anorthoclase | (Na,K)AlSi3O8 |
| Al | ⓘ Hercynite | Fe2+Al2O4 |
| Al | ⓘ Kaersutite | NaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2 |
| Al | ⓘ Nepheline | Na3K(Al4Si4O16) |
| Al | ⓘ Pargasite | NaCa2(Mg4Al)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Spinel | MgAl2O4 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Albite var. Anorthoclase | (Na,K)AlSi3O8 |
| Si | ⓘ Diopside var. Chromium-bearing Diopside | Ca(Mg,Cr)Si2O6 |
| Si | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| Si | ⓘ Forsterite | Mg2(SiO4) |
| Si | ⓘ Kaersutite | NaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2 |
| Si | ⓘ Nepheline | Na3K(Al4Si4O16) |
| Si | ⓘ Pargasite | NaCa2(Mg4Al)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Forsterite var. Peridot | Mg2SiO4 |
| P | Phosphorus | |
| P | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| Cl | Chlorine | |
| Cl | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | ⓘ Albite var. Anorthoclase | (Na,K)AlSi3O8 |
| K | ⓘ Nepheline | Na3K(Al4Si4O16) |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Diopside var. Chromium-bearing Diopside | Ca(Mg,Cr)Si2O6 |
| Ca | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| Ca | ⓘ Kaersutite | NaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2 |
| Ca | ⓘ Pargasite | NaCa2(Mg4Al)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2 |
| Ca | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| Ti | Titanium | |
| Ti | ⓘ Kaersutite | NaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2 |
| Cr | Chromium | |
| Cr | ⓘ Diopside var. Chromium-bearing Diopside | Ca(Mg,Cr)Si2O6 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Hercynite | Fe2+Al2O4 |
| Fe | ⓘ Magnetite | Fe2+Fe23+O4 |
Other Databases
| Link to USGS MRDS: | 10060353 |
|---|
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
- Sonoran DesertDesert
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Basin and Range BasinsBasin
- Mazatzal DomainDomain
- Southern Basin and RangeWide Rift
USA
- Arizona
- ⭔San Carlos Apache Indian ReservationReservation
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References
Garcia, Michael O., Muenow, David W., Liu, Norman W. K. (1980) Volatiles in Ti-rich amphibole megacrysts, southwest USA. American Mineralogist, 65 (3-4) 306-312
Koivula, John I. (1981) San Carlos Peridot. Gems & Gemology, 17 (4) 205-214 doi:10.5741/gems.17.4.205
Kohlstedt, D. L., Mackwell, S. J. (1987) High-temperature stability of San Carlos olivine. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 95 (2) 226-230 doi:10.1007/bf00381272
Wilshire, H.G., Meyer, C.E., Nakata, J.K., Calk, L.C., Shervais, J.W., Nielson, J.E., Schwarzman, E.C. (1988) Mafic and ultramafic xenoliths from volcanic rocks of the Western United States. Professional Paper 1443. US Geological Survey doi:10.3133/pp1443
Wanamaker, B. J., Wong, Teng-Fong, Evans, Brian (1990) Decrepitation and crack healing of fluid inclusions in San Carlos olivine. Journal of Geophysical Research, 95. 15623 doi:10.1029/jb095ib10p15623
Chakraborty, Sumit, Farver, JohnR., Yund, RichardA., Rubie, DavidC. (1994) Mg tracer diffusion in synthetic forsterite and San Carlos olivine as a function of P, T and fO2. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 21 (8). 489-500 doi:10.1007/bf00203923
Galoisy, Laurence, Calas, Georges, Brown, Gordon E. (1995) Intracrystalline distribution of Ni in San Carlos Olivine; an EXAFS study. American Mineralogist, 80 (9) 1089-1092 doi:10.2138/am-1995-9-1028
Wirth, Richard (1996) Thin amorphous films (1-2 nm) at olivine grain boundaries in mantle xenoliths from San Carlos, Arizona. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 124 (1) 44-54 doi:10.1007/s004100050172
Uchida, H., Lavina, B., Downs, R.T., Chesley, J. (2005) Single-crystal X-ray diffraction of spinels from the San Carlos Volcanic Field, Arizona: Spinel as a geothermometer. American Mineralogist, 90 (11). 1900-1908 doi:10.2138/am.2005.1795
Spandler, Carl, O’Neill, Hugh St.C. (2010) Diffusion and partition coefficients of minor and trace elements in San Carlos olivine at 1,300°C with some geochemical implications. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 159 (6) 791-818 doi:10.1007/s00410-009-0456-8
Shinozaki, A, Hirai, H, Kagi, H, Kondo, T, Yagi, T (2010) Polymerization of methane molecules and phase transition of San Carlos olivine under the Earth's mantle conditions. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 215. 12104 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/215/1/012104
Fournelle, J (2011) An Investigation of “San Carlos Olivine”: Comparing USNM-distributed Material with Commercially Available Material. Microscopy and Microanalysis, 17. 842-843 doi:10.1017/s1431927611005083
Hu, Yan, Harrington, Melissa D., Sun, Yang, Yang, Zhe, Konter, Jasper, Teng, Fang-Zhen (2016) Magnesium isotopic homogeneity of San Carlos olivine: a potential standard for Mg isotopic analysis by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 30 (19). 2123-2132 doi:10.1002/rcm.7700
Hadnott, Bryné A., Ehlmann, Bethany L., Jolliff, Bradley L. (2017) Mineralogy and chemistry of San Carlos high-alkali basalts: Analyses of alteration with application for Mars exploration. American Mineralogist, 102 (2) 284-301 doi:10.2138/am-2017-5608(individual microprobe analyses of all phases in the basalt plus a photo of the outcrop.)
Su, Chang, Liu, Yonggang, Song, Wei, Fan, Dawei, Wang, Zhigang, Tang, Hongfeng (2018) Thermodynamic properties of San Carlos olivine at high temperature and high pressure. Acta Geochimica, 37 (2) 171-179 doi:10.1007/s11631-018-0261-z
Peridot Mesa, San Carlos, Gila County, Arizona, USA