Alabama’s red clay soil and diverse geological formations have been attracting rockhounds for generations. While the state is famous for its quartz and agates, many don’t know it’s also home to some surprising peridot deposits.

Finding peridot can be tricky, especially if you’re new to rock hunting. We’ve spent countless hours researching and talking to local collectors to find the most reliable spots where you can actually find these olive-green gems.

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly where to look, what tools you’ll need, and the best times to go hunting. We’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to waste time searching in the wrong places.

How Peridot Forms Here

Peridot forms deep within Earth’s mantle, around 20 to 55 miles below the surface, where intense heat and pressure create the perfect conditions. It’s actually made from magma that cools super slowly, letting the crystals grow nice and big.

The main ingredient is olivine, which needs temperatures between 1,000°C to 1,300°C to form properly. When volcanoes erupt, they sometimes bring these green gems up with them in basalt rocks.

What’s really cool is that peridot can also come from meteorites – yep, some of these crystals literally fell from space! The iron and magnesium inside the stone is what gives it that signature olive-green color.

Types of Peridot

Peridot’s value fluctuates based on its origin and quality, with its vivid colors making it a distinctive and sought-after gemstone. Here are the different types of Peridot:

Burmese Peridot

Burmese Peridot shows off a pure, bright green color that looks almost like spring leaves. Most other peridots have brown or yellow mixed in, but Burmese ones usually don’t.

The stone’s special green color comes from the iron inside the crystal. When light hits it, the stone seems to glow from within, creating a beautiful effect that catches everyone’s eye.

These stones often have special markings inside called “lily pads.” These are small, round patterns that look like tiny circles when you look at them with a magnifying glass.

You can often find Burmese Peridot in larger sizes, which makes them great for bigger jewelry pieces. The stones keep their bright color even under different kinds of lighting, so they look good both in sunlight and indoor light.

Pakistani Peridot

Pakistani Peridot is known for its vibrant green hues, which can range from yellow-green to olive green. The stones are usually very clear and shine beautifully when light hits them.

The stone typically has a vitreous luster and can be quite transparent, showcasing its brilliance. High-quality specimens can exhibit exceptional clarity with minimal inclusions, which enhances their appeal in jewelry.

Inside these stones, you might find tiny bubbles of liquid and gas. These create interesting patterns that make each stone has its unique pattern of these markings.

These peridots often come in larger sizes and maintain their bright color even under artificial light. This makes them look just as good in the evening as they do during the day, which is why some people call them “evening emeralds.”

Arizona Peridot

Arizona Peridot shows off a bright, lime-green color that sometimes has olive tones. The stones are usually smaller than other peridots but make up for it with their exceptional brightness and sparkle.

These stones often have a special kind of clarity that makes them appear very clean to the naked eye. When you look at them closely, you might see tiny specks of black minerals inside, which are typical of Arizona stones.

Arizona Peridot is especially famous due to its association with the San Carlos Apache Reservation, which is one of the largest sources of peridot in the world. The region’s peridot is highly valued not only locally but also within the broader gemstone market for its quality and vibrant color.

Changbai Peridot

Changbai Peridot displays a deep, rich green color that sets it apart. Their color is more intense than other peridots, showing deep forest green tones.

These stones usually come in medium sizes, around one carat. What makes them special is how clean they look – most have very few internal marks or inclusions. This clarity lets more light pass through, making them especially bright and sparkly.

The color of Changbai Peridot stays consistent throughout the stone. Unlike some other peridots that might show patches of different colors, these maintain their rich green tone evenly. This makes them particularly appealing when set in jewelry.

Their superior clarity and rich color have made them increasingly popular since 2005. Even though they’re newer to the market compared to other peridots, they’ve quickly gained recognition for their outstanding quality.

Vietnam Peridot

Vietnam Peridot, also known as chrysolite, has a special yellowish-green color that makes it easy to spot. They often come in larger sizes than peridots from other places.

When light passes through these stones, it creates a unique double-image effect. If you look closely at a faceted stone, you might see the edges appear doubled. This effect makes them sparkle in a special way.

Vietnamese peridot is often found in mafic and ultramafic rocks, which are rich in iron and magnesium, leading to the formation of larger and higher-quality stones.

The green color stays even throughout the whole stone. This consistent color is one reason why collectors really like Vietnam Peridot.

Norway Peridot

Norway Peridot comes in beautiful olive green shades. The color can range from light yellow-green to deep olive. The amount of iron inside the stone decides how dark or light the green will be.

When light enters these stones, it splits into two beams. This makes the stone look extra sparkly and bright, even when the light isn’t very strong. You can see this special effect best in well-cut stones.

Norway Peridot is part of a long tradition of peridot use in jewelry and artifacts, including significant pieces like those found in the Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral, which were initially thought to be emeralds but were later identified as large peridots.

Pallasite Peridot

Pallasite Peridot comes from space! These green crystals are found inside meteorites, mixed with metal from space. The green crystals stand out beautifully against the silvery-gray metal background.

These stones form a natural pattern in the meteorite. The mix of bright green crystals and shiny metal creates a beautiful design that looks like stained glass when light shines through it.

Scientists find these stones especially interesting because they tell us about how planets form. The mix of metal and crystal shows us what the inside of planets might look like.

These stones are pretty rare since they only come from meteorites. Collectors really like them because each piece tells a story about space and has its own unique pattern of green crystals.

Antarctica Peridot

Antarctica Peridot usually comes in smaller sizes, but each stone packs a lot of sparkle. They show a pure green color that can look slightly yellowish or olive in different lights.

These stones formed under extreme cold conditions, which affects how they look. They tend to be very clear with few internal markings. Most pieces are under two carats in size.

The extreme conditions where these stones formed make them special. They had to survive intense pressure and cold temperatures to reach the surface.

These stones are among the rarest peridots because they’re so hard to find. Their small size actually helps them sparkle more intensely than larger stones.

Hawaii Peridot

Hawaii Peridot has a rich olive-green color. Inside many stones, you can find special bubble-shaped marks called “lily pads.” These marks look like tiny round discs frozen in the stone.

One cool thing about these stones is that some of them contain tiny bits of gas trapped inside from when they formed. Scientists can study these bubbles to learn about conditions deep in the Earth.

In Hawaiian culture, peridot is associated with Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes, which adds to its allure among collectors interested in cultural artifacts.

New Mexico Peridot

New Mexico peridot typically ranges in color from brown and greenish-brown to yellowish-green and the more desirable green hue. This variety stands out due to its potential for a wider color range compared to peridot from other regions.

One notable aspect of New Mexico peridot is its occurrence in volcanic debris from ancient eruptions, specifically from a 180,000-year-old volcano. This geological background contributes to the unique properties of the stones found there.

The Kilbourne Hole area is particularly noted for producing high-quality peridot that is sometimes considered superior to that from Arizona.

What Rough Peridot Look Like?

Peridot has several distinctive characteristics that can help you identify it in its natural form. Here are the key features to look for:

Check for a glassy or waxy luster

Raw peridot typically shows a distinct glassy to waxy shine, even in its unpolished state. When you shine a light on it, you’ll notice it’s not quite as sparkly as quartz but definitely shinier than most common rocks.

Pro tip: if it looks kind of like olive oil frozen in stone form, you might be onto something!

Look for that signature olive-green color

Unlike other green stones, peridot has this unique yellowish-green to olive-green color that’s pretty consistent throughout the stone.

Here’s the thing – even when rough, it shouldn’t have dark spots or zones. If you spot patches of brown or black, you’re probably looking at something else.

Hold it up to natural light – a genuine peridot will show that characteristic color even in its rough form.

Examine the crystal structure

In its natural state, peridot forms stubby, prismatic crystals. Look for somewhat rectangular or barrel-shaped formations – they might be rough, but you should see hints of this shape.

Sometimes you’ll spot these crystals embedded in darker volcanic rock (that’s basalt, by the way). The surfaces might look a bit pitted or weathered, but they shouldn’t be perfectly smooth.

A Quick Request About Collecting

Tips on Where to Look

Peridot typically forms in volcanic areas and can be found in several accessible locations. Here’s where you should start looking:

Volcanic Rock Formations

Look for dark-colored basalt rocks and olivine-rich formations. Check areas where ancient lava flows have created large rock deposits, especially those with visible green crystals embedded in the rock. These rocks often weather over time, exposing the peridot crystals.

Stream Beds and Gravel Banks

Search in stream beds where water has naturally broken down volcanic rocks. Peridot is usually more concentrated in these areas because water carries away lighter materials while leaving behind heavier minerals.

This makes it easier to spot the olive-green crystals among the gravels and sands that have accumulated over time.

Old Mining Areas

Visit abandoned mine dumps and tailings, particularly those known for copper or nickel mining operations that were active in volcanic regions.

These areas often contain peridot as a secondary mineral, and since the rock has already been broken down during previous mining operations, the gems are easier to spot.

Some Great Places To Start

Here are some of the better places to start looking for peridot in Alabama:

Cottonwood

Cottonwood is a small town in Houston County, Alabama, close to the Florida border. It sits in the Wiregrass region, known for its sandy soil and pine forests. The town is near the Chattahoochee River, which has shaped the area’s landscape over time.

The local terrain is mostly flat with some small hills. What makes this area good for rock hunting is its mix of forest areas and stream beds. The sandy soil here often reveals different kinds of rocks and minerals.

For finding Peridot, focus on areas near the forest streams and places where water has worn away the soil. These spots often show exposed rocks where gemstones might be hiding.

The mix of pine forests, sandy soil, and small waterways makes Cottonwood an interesting spot for rock collectors to explore.

Coosa area

Coosa County sits in east-central Alabama, covering 657 square miles of mineral-rich land. The county’s landscape features three beautiful lakes – Lay, Martin, and Mitchell – making it both scenic and geologically interesting.

The county has a long history of mining different minerals. Old mines in the area once produced tin, gold, mica, iron, and graphite. These mines tell us that the ground here is rich with various minerals, making it a great spot for finding gemstones.

When looking for peridot in Coosa County, focus on areas near old mines and mineral deposits. The best spots are often in exposed rock formations and areas where the ground has been disturbed by past mining activities.

The area around Lake Martin is particularly good for rockhounding, as the water has helped expose many mineral deposits over time.

Talladega National Forest

Talladega National Forest spreads across northeast Alabama, covering five counties. The forest sits where the Appalachian Mountains begin to fade into Alabama’s landscape. It has rolling hills and small mountains with slopes that aren’t too steep.

The forest’s special mix of pine and oak trees grows in soil that’s rich with different kinds of rocks and minerals. This makes it a good spot for people who like to look for interesting stones. Two areas in the forest, Cheaha Wilderness and Dugger Mountain Wilderness, are great places to start your search.

Stream beds in the forest are good spots to look for stones because flowing water often uncovers hidden minerals. While hunting for Peridot, you might find other interesting rocks too.

The forest’s highest point is Cheaha Mountain, which rises 2,407 feet above sea level. This area offers both nice views and good chances to find minerals in the exposed rock faces along hiking trails.

Millerville

Millerville is located in Clay County, Alabama, in an area of rolling hills that’s part of the Piedmont Upland region. This place is within the old Idaho Gold Mining District, which is now part of Talladega National Forest.

The area’s rocks tell an interesting story. Over millions of years, volcanic rocks here changed into what geologists call greenstone. These rocks are rich in different minerals, especially copper and iron.

Peridot hunters can look through the grayish rock masses on the surface. The best spots are where the greenstone formations are visible.

The hills around Millerville have many old mining spots from when people looked for gold here. These old mining areas are good places to search because the ground has already been turned over, making it easier to spot minerals.

Places Peridot has been found by County

After discussing our top picks, we wanted to discuss the other places on our list. Below is a list of the additional locations where we have succeeded, along with a breakdown of each place by county.