How to Identify Olivine: Hardness, Streak, Luster and Tests
Quick answer
Olivine (mineral): 6 identifying properties, 1 home test, quoted from geology department and survey sources.
Updated 2026-09-10 · Sources: University of Minnesota Common Minerals
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Download on the App StoreWhat are the key facts?
- Type: Mineral
- Mohs hardness: 6.5–7 (very hard)
- Streak: White
- Luster: Glassy (vitreous) luster.
- Color: Pale olive green to yellow-green; occasionally brown.
- Cleavage or fracture: Two poor cleavage directions at 90 degrees.
- Specific gravity: 3.2 (magnesium-rich) to 4.3 (iron-rich)
What Olivine looks like
The properties that identify Olivine — mohs hardness: 6.5–7 (very hard); streak: White; luster: Glassy (vitreous) luster; color: Pale olive green to yellow-green; occasionally brown; cleavage or fracture: Two poor cleavage directions at 90 degrees; specific gravity: 3.2 (magnesium-rich) to 4.3 (iron-rich). Hardness, streak and cleavage are the reliable ones; color alone rarely settles it.
Tests you can do at home
- Olive-green color, translucent glassy luster, hardness greater than glass, and close association with mafic igneous rocks.
Where it is found in North America
Occurs almost exclusively in igneous rocks associated with rift zones or oceanic hotspots, such as the basalts and gabbros of the North Shore of Lake Superior, and the St. Croix River valley.
How to photograph it for identification
Photograph a fresh, unweathered surface in daylight, then a second shot of any crystal faces or broken edge. Include a coin for scale. If you did a streak test, photograph the streak next to the specimen. The app suggests the likely mineral or rock; confirm with hardness and the tests above before you label it.
FAQ
How hard is Olivine on the Mohs scale?
6.5–7 (very hard). A fingernail is about 2.5, a copper coin about 3, a steel knife 5.5 and glass about 5.5, so test against those.
What color streak does Olivine leave?
White. Rub the specimen on an unglazed porcelain tile; the powder color is the streak, and it is more consistent than the specimen color.
What is the simplest test for Olivine?
Olive-green color, translucent glassy luster, hardness greater than glass, and close association with mafic igneous rocks.
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Sources
- University of Minnesota Common Mineralscommonminerals.esci.umn.edu/minerals-o-s/olivine-group
Compiled by the RockLens editorial team
Every fact on this page is taken from the sources listed above; numbers and prices are copied from the source, and prices name the guide or auction and its date. Research and drafting were assisted by AI, and each claim was then checked against the cited sources. Checked 2026-09-10. We do not buy, sell or grade items; the app identifies what you photograph and points you to these references.