iddingsite
Iddingsite is a hydrous alteration product of olivine, typically forming when olivine-bearing rocks interact with liquid water at low temperatures. It is not a single mineral but an assemblage that can include hydrated iron oxide and hydroxide minerals, such as goethite and hematite, together with clay minerals and minor silica. The exact composition and texture of iddingsite vary with the conditions of alteration, often appearing as rims, patches, or patchy regions around olivine grains.
Formation and occurrence: In terrestrial rocks, iddingsite rims commonly develop on olivine in ultramafic rocks exposed
Identification and significance: Iddingsite is identified through petrographic microscopy and electron microscopy, with supporting analyses from
Name and history: The alteration product is named after the American petrologist Earl J. Iddings, who contributed