Chromite
Real mineral · uncommon · FeCr₂O₄
Iron chromium oxide and the sole commercial ore of chromium. Forms as a cumulate in layered ultramafic intrusions and in podiform deposits within oceanic crust. Essential for the production of stainless steel.
Identity
Crystallography
- Crystal system
- cubic
- Habits
- massive, granular, octahedral
- Fracture
- conchoidal
Physical properties
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5
- Density
- 4.79 g/cm³
- Luster
- metallic, submetallic
- Colors
- black, brownish black
- Streak
- brown
- Transparency
- opaque
Geology
- Origins
- igneous
- Host rocks
- peridotite, dunite, serpentinite
- Associated minerals
- Olivine, pyroxene, Serpentine, Magnetite
- Geography
- Kazakhstan, South Africa, India, Zimbabwe, Finland
Classification
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Gem quality
- No
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