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Chromite

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Prony Bay, Mont-Dore Commune, Southern Province, New Caledonia
© Cédrick Gineste

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Formula:
FeCr
 
2
O
 
4
System:IsometricColour:Black
Hardness:5½
Name:In allusion to its composition.


Spinel Group. Chromite-Hercynite Series, and the Chromite-Magnesiochromite Series. The chromium analogue of Zincochromite.

Usually contains some Mg and Al.

Classification of Chromite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/B.03-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.BB.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
B : Metal: Oxygen = 3:4 and similar
B : With only medium-sized cations
Dana 8th edition ID:7.2.3.3

7 : MULTIPLE OXIDES
2 : AB2X4
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.14.12

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
14 : Oxides of Cr
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Type Occurrence of Chromite

Type Locality:Bastide de la Carrade, Gassin, Var, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Year of Discovery:1845

Occurrences of Chromite

Geological Setting:As a cumulate mineral layer in ultramafic igneous rocks, in peridotites. As placer deposits. Common in meteorites except carbonaceous chondrites.

Physical Properties of Chromite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent on thin edges
Colour:Black
Streak:Brown
Hardness (Mohs):5½
Hardness (Vickers):VHN100=1278 - 1456 kg/mm2
Tenacity:Brittle
Parting:Parting may develop along {111}
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):4.5 - 4.8 g/cm3
Density (calculated):5.12 g/cm3

Crystallography of Chromite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:Fd3m (F41/d 3 2/m)
Cell Parameters:a = 8.344Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 580.93 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:8
Morphology:Octahedral crystals uncommon, modified by {001} at times. Massive, fine granular to compact.
Twinning:On {P111}
Crystal Atlas:
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Chromite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Chromite no.2 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

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Optical Data of Chromite

Type:Isotropic
RI values: n = 2.08 - 2.16
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.000 - Isotropic minerals have no birefringence
Surface Relief:Very High
Type:Isotropic
Colour in reflected light:Grey-white with brownish tint.
Internal Reflections:Brownish red

Chemical Properties of Chromite

Formula:
FeCr
 
2
O
 
4
Essential elements:Cr, Fe, O
All elements listed in formula:Cr, Fe, O
Common Impurities:Mg,Mn,Zn,Al,Ti

Relationship of Chromite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Hercynite (see here)
Forms a series with Magnesiochromite (see here)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.BB.05Brunogeierite
(Ge,Fe)Fe
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Cochromite
(Co,Ni,Fe)(Cr,Al)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Coulsonite
FeV
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Cuprospinel
Cu
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Filipstadite
(Mn,Mg)
 
2
(Sb
 
.5
Fe
 
.5
)O
 
4
4.BB.05Franklinite
Zn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Gahnite
ZnAl
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Galaxite
(Mn,Fe,Mg)(Al,Fe)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Hercynite
FeAl
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Jacobsite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Manganochromite
(Mn,Fe)(Cr,V)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Magnesiocoulsonite
MgV
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Magnesiochromite
MgCr
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Magnesioferrite
MgFe
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Magnetite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Nichromite
(Ni,Co,Fe)(Cr,Fe,Al)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Qandilite
(Mg,Fe)
 
2
(Ti,Fe,Al)O
 
4
4.BB.05Spinel
MgAl
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Trevorite
Ni
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Ulvöspinel
Fe
 
2
TiO
 
4
4.BB.05Vuorelainenite
(Mn,Fe)(V,Cr)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Zincochromite
ZnCr
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.10Hausmannite
MnMn
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.10Hetaerolite
ZnMn
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.10Hydrohetaerolite
ZnMn
 
2
O
 
4
·H
 
2
O
4.BB.10Iwakiite
Mn(Fe,Mn)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.15Maghemite
Fe
 
2
O
 
3
4.BB.15Titanomaghemite
Fe
3+
 
(Fe
3+
 
,Ti
4+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,[])
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.20Tegengrenite
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
Sb
5+
0.5
(Mn
3+
 
,Si,Ti)
 
0.5
O
 
4
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
7.14.1Eskolaite
Cr
 
2
O
 
3
7.14.2Bracewellite
CrO(OH)
7.14.3Grimaldiite
CrO(OH)
7.14.4Guyanaite
CrO(OH)
7.14.5Yimengite
K(Cr,Ti,Fe,Mg)
 
12
O
 
19
7.14.6Mathiasite
K(Ti,Cr,Fe,Mg,Zr)
 
21
O
 
38
7.14.7Mcconnellite
CuCrO
 
2
7.14.8Redledgeite
Ba
 
x
([Cr,Fe,V]
3+
2x
Ti
 
8-2x
)O
 
16
7.14.9Hawthorneite
BaMgTi
 
3
Cr
 
4
Fe
 
4
O
 
19
7.14.10Zincochromite
ZnCr
 
2
O
 
4
7.14.11Wattersite
(Hg-Hg)
2+
2
Hg
2+
 
[O
 
2
|CrO
 
4
]
7.14.13Magnesiochromite
MgCr
 
2
O
 
4
7.14.14 Donathite

Other Names for Chromite

Synonyms:
Autunite (of Leymerie)Beresofite (of Simpson)Chromate of IronChromic IronChromoferrite
Chrompicotite (of Lacroix)DonathiteEisenchromeFerrochromateFerrochromite
Siderochrome
Other Languages:
Basque:Kromita
Czech:Chromit
Dutch:Chromiet
Esperanto:Kromito
Finnish:Kromiitti
French:Chromite
Fer chromaté
Fer chromaté aluminé
Fer chromé
German:Chromit
Chromeisenerz
Chromeisenspinell
Chromeisenstein
Chromoferrit
Chromsaures Eisen
Chromspinell
Cromit
Eisenchrom
Ferrochromit
Hebrew:כרומיט
Hungarian:Kromit
Italian:Cromite
Cromoferrite
Ferro cromato
Siderocromo
Japanese:クロム鉄鉱
Lithuanian:Chromitas
Low Saxon:Chromit
Polish:Chromit
Portuguese:Cromita
Romanian:Cromit
Russian:Хромит
Simplified Chinese:铬铁矿
Spanish:Cromita
Chromita
Chromoferrita
Ferrochromita
Hierro cromado
Swedish:Kromit
Chromjernmalm
Ukrainian:Хроміт
Varieties:
Aluminian ChromiteAlumoberezoviteBerezovskiteChromferritFerrian Chromite
Titaniferous Chromite

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:None
Other Information:Some are weakly magnetic
Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:Major ore source for chromium.

References for Chromite

Reference List:Vauqueline (1800), Bull. soc. philom.: 55: 57.

Pemberton, H. (1891), Chromite: Chem. News: 63: 241.

Simpson (1920), Mineralogical Magazine: 19: 99 (as Beresofite).

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 709-712.

Bliss, N.W. and MacLean, W.H. (1975) The paragenesis of zoned chromite from central Manitoba. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta: 39: 973-990.

Da Silva, E.G., Abras, A., and Sette Camara, A.O.R. (1976) Mössbauer effect study of cation distribution in natural chromites. Journal of Applied Physics: 12: 783-785.

Fatseas, G.A., Dormann, J.L., and Blanchard, H. (1976) Study of the Fe 3+ / Fe 2+ ratio in natural chromites (Fe x Mg 1-x)(Cr 1-y-x Fe y Al z)O4. Journal of Physics: 12: 787-792.

Da Silva, E.G., Abras, A., and Speziali, L. (1980) Mössbauer effect study of cation distribution in natural chromites of Brazilian and Philippine origin. Journal of Applied Physics: 12: 389-392.

Osborne, M.D., Fleet, M.E., and Bancroft, G.M. (1981) Fe 2+ - Fe 3+ ordering in chromite and Cr-bearing spinels. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology: 77: 251-255.

Mitra, S., PAl, T., and Pal, T. (1991) Petrogenic implication of the Mössbauer hyperfine parameters of Fe 3+-chromites from Sukinda (India) ultramafites. Mineralogical Magazine: 55(4): 535:542.

Chen, Y.L., Xu, B.F., Chen, J.G., and ge, Y.Y. (1992) Fe 2+ - Fe 3+ ordered distribution in chromite spinels. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals: 19(4): 255-259.

Leblanc, M. and Ceuleneer, G. (1992) Chromite crystallisation in multicelular magma flow: evidence from a chromitite dike in the Oman ophiolite. Lithos: 27: 231-257.

Canadian Mineralogist (1994): 32: 729-746.

Zhou, Mei-Fu, Robinson, P.T., and Bai, W.J. (1994) Formartion of podiform chromitites by melt/rock interaction in the upper mantle. Mineral. Deposita: 29: 98-101.

Zhou, Mei-Fu, Robinson, P.T., Malpas, J., and Li, Z. (1996) Podiform chromitites in the Luobusa ophiolite (southern Tibet): implications for melt-rock interaction and chromite segregation in the upper mantle. Journal of Petrology: 37: 3-21.

Figueiras, J. and Waerenborgh, J.C. (1997) Fully oxidized chromite in the Serra Alta (South Portugal) quartzites: chemical and structural characterization and geological implications. Mineralogical Magazine: 61: 627-638.

Zhou, Mei-Fu and Robnson, P.T. (1997) Origin and tectonic environment of podiform chromite deposits. Economic geology: 92: 259-262.

Zhou, Mei-Fu, Sun, Min, Keays, R.R., and Kerrich, R.W. (1998) Controls on platinum-group elemental distributions of podiform chromitites: a case study of high-Cr and high-Al chromitites from Chinese orogenic belts. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta: 62: 677-688.

Barnes, S.J. (2000) Chromite in komatiites. II. Modification during greenschist to mid-amphibolite facies metamorphism. Journal of Petrology: 41: 387-409.

Salviulo, G., Carbonin, S., and Della Giusta, A. (2000) Powder and single-crystal X-ray structural refinements on a natural chromite: dependence of site occupancies on experimental strategies. Materials Science Forum: 321-324: 46-52.

Papike, J.J., Karner, J.M., and Shearer, C.K. (2004) Comparative planetary mineralogy: V/(Cr+Al) systematics in chromite as an indicator of relative oxygen fugacity. American Mineralogist: 89: 1557-1560.

Articles/Blogs about Chromite

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    Localities for Chromite

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