South Carolina’s rich mineral heritage dates back to the colonial era when early settlers discovered gemstones here. While the state isn’t as famous as its northern neighbor for gems, it holds some surprising treasures.

Peridot, the vibrant green August birthstone, can be found in several spots across South Carolina. But finding these olive-green crystals isn’t always easy, and many rockhounds waste time searching in the wrong places.

We’ve done the hard work for you. After talking to local collectors and visiting multiple sites ourselves, we’ve put together a list of proven spots where you’re most likely to find peridot.

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 South Carolina:

Diamond Hill Mine

Diamond Hill Mine sits in Abbeville County in the upper part of South Carolina. This small 3-acre site is part of the southern Appalachian Mountains and has become famous among rock collectors.

The mine is known for its amazing variety of crystals, especially different types of quartz. You can find beautiful amethyst, smoky quartz, and rare angle-plated quartz here.

Other treasures like aquamarine, garnet, and epidote also show up regularly. What makes this place special is that all crystals found here formed naturally in the mine – they weren’t brought from somewhere else.

The best places to look for peridot are in the dump piles or by checking the mineral-rich veins spread across the mining area. The mine has over 6 acres of dirt that’s full of different minerals.

Greenville area

The Greenville is located in northwest South Carolina, where the Blue Ridge Mountains begin. The land here has rolling hills and thick forests that make it perfect for outdoor activities.

The rocks in this area formed millions of years ago through heat and pressure, creating perfect conditions for gemstones to form. You’ll find both metamorphic and igneous rocks here, which often contain valuable minerals.

Local streams and creeks that flow through these rocky areas are good spots to look for loose gems.

Besides peridot, the Greenville area is known for other precious stones like aquamarine, beryl, and different types of corundum including sapphires and rubies.

Anderson area

Anderson County sits in the northwest part of South Carolina. The area features gentle rolling hills and flat lands, making it easy to explore. The county’s landscape has changed over millions of years, creating perfect conditions for finding different gemstones.

The area is part of South Carolina’s rich mineral belt. The soil and rock formations in Anderson County come from ancient volcanic activity, which helped create these gemstones.

The towns of Storeville and Iva are good spots to look for Peridot. These areas have special rock formations called pegmatites, which often contain various minerals and gems.

The county’s mix of different rock types and minerals makes it an interesting place for both new and experienced rock collectors.

Blue Ridge Mountains

The Blue Ridge Mountains stretch across South Carolina’s northwestern corner in Oconee County. The area features thick forests, clear streams, and rocky outcrops that make it perfect for rock hunting.

You’ll find gneiss, schist, and pegmatite rocks throughout the region. These rocks formed when old sea floor sediments were squeezed and heated deep underground.

Many rock collectors focus on the areas where pegmatite rocks are exposed, as these often contain interesting minerals.

Good spots to look for peridot and other rocks include the banks of the Savannah River and the eastern Piedmont area. The best time to search is after rain when the streams wash new rocks onto their banks.

Walhalla Area

The Walhalla Area is located in Oconee County, at the northwest corner of South Carolina. The area is about 16 miles from Clemson University and is known for its old gold mining history.

The rocks here tell an interesting story. The area has lots of gneiss and schist rocks that were pushed up from deep underground millions of years ago. These rocks now create good spots for finding different kinds of gems and minerals.

While looking for peridot, focus on the creek beds and areas where water flows after rain. The streams around Walhalla have helped many rockhounds find garnets, amethyst, and tourmaline.

Some good spots are near the Stumphouse Mountain area and along the local creeks that flow through the region.

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.