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Magnesiochromite

Big Photo

Delight Quarry (Soldier's Delight Quarry; Dyer Quarry), Soldiers' Delight ridge, Delight, Baltimore Co., Maryland, USA
© 2007, J. Weissman

Show Magnesiochromite Photos (3)
Formula:
MgCr
 
2
O
 
4
System:IsometricColour:Black
Hardness:5½
Name:In allusion to the composition, containing MAGNESIum and its relationship to CHROMITE.


Spinel Group, Cr series. Chromite-Magnesiochromite Series and the Magnesiochromite-Spinel Series.

Classification of Magnesiochromite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/B.03-10
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:7.2.3.1

7 : MULTIPLE OXIDES
2 : AB2X4
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.14.13

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

Type Locality:Schwarzenberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany
Year of Discovery:1868

Physical Properties of Magnesiochromite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent on thin edges
Colour:Black
Hardness (Mohs):5½
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:None Observed
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):4.1 - 4.3 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.43 g/cm3

Crystallography of Magnesiochromite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:Fd3m (F41/d 3 2/m)
Cell Parameters:a = 8.305Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 572.82 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals rare, octahedral, modified by {001} at times. Massive.

Optical Data of Magnesiochromite

Type:Isotropic

Chemical Properties of Magnesiochromite

Formula:
MgCr
 
2
O
 
4
Essential elements:Al, Mg, O
All elements listed in formula:Cr, Mg, O
Common Impurities:Fe,Al

Relationship of Magnesiochromite to other Species

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

- +
4.BB.05Brunogeierite
(Ge,Fe)Fe
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Chromite
FeCr
 
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.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
]
7.14.12Chromite
FeCr
 
2
O
 
4
7.14.14 Donathite

Other Names for Magnesiochromite

Synonyms:
Chrome-Spinel (of Boldyrev)FerrichromspinelMagnesiochromite (of Bock)Magnesiochromite (of Simpson)Magnochromite (of Fisher)
Mitchellite
Other Languages:
German:Magnesiochromit
Mitchellit
Japanese:苦土クロム石
Russian:Магнезиохромит
Spanish:Magnesiochromita
Mitchellita
Varieties:
Alumo-chrompicotitePicrochromite

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Magnesiochromite

Reference List:Dana, System of Mineralogy, Sixth ed. (1892): 228.

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

Fisher (1929), American Mineralogist: 14: 355 (as Magnochromite).

Betekhtin (1934), Ann. Inst. Mines, Leningrad: 8: 38 (as Ferrichromsinel).

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.

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

O'Neill, H.St.C. and Dollase, W.A. (1994) Crystal structures and cation distribution in simple spinels from powder XRD structural refinements: MgCr2O4, ZnCr2O4, Fe3O4, and the temperature dependence of the cation distribution in ZnAl2O4. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals: 20: 541-555.

Articles/Blogs about Magnesiochromite

Internet Links for Magnesiochromite

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    Localities for Magnesiochromite

    Hide Locality List
    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
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    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Australia
     
    • Tasmania
    		Bottrill & Baker in prep
      • Heazlewood district
    		Bottrill & Baker (in prep) Catalogue of minerals of Tasmania
      • Huon district
        • Weld river
    		Bottrill & Baker (in prep) Catalogue of minerals of Tasmania
      • Trial Harbour district
    		R. Bottrill (unpub. data)
    Bottrill & Baker (in prep) Catalogue of minerals of Tasmania
      • Zeehan district
    		Bottrill & Sorrell 2007
        • Dundas mineral field
    		Bottrill & Baker (in prep) Catalogue of minerals of Tasmania
    Austria
     
    • Styria
      • Leoben
    		R. Exel: Die Mineralien und Erzlagerstätten Österreichs (1993)
    • Tyrol
      • North Tyrol
        • Inn valley
          • Brixlegg - Schwaz area
            • Brixlegg - Rattenberg
              • St Gertraudi
    		Lapis 19 (7/8):69 (1994)
    Canada
     
    • Québec
      • Mégantic Co.
        • Coleraine Township
    		Encyclopedia of Mins., 2nd Ed.:511.
    GSC collection specimens
    China
     
    • Henan Province
      • Nanyang Prefecture
        • Tongbai Co.
    		Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3 (1997)
    • Tibet Autonomous Region
      • Shannan Prefecture
        • Qusum (Qusong) Co.
    		Wenji Bai, Robinson, P.T., Qingsong Fang, Jingsui Yang, Binggang Yan, Zhongming Zhang, Xufeng Hu, Meifu Zhou, and Malpas, J. (2000): Canadian Mineralogist 38(3), 585-598.
    Ethiopia
     
    • Wallaga (Welega; Wollega; Ouallega) Province
      • Assosa region
    		P.M. Kartashov data
    France
     
    • Lower Normandy
      • Manche
        • Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte
    		[var: Picrochromite] P. Devismes : "Atlas photographique des minéraux d'alluvions", BRGM, 1978.
    Germany
     
    • Baden-Württemberg
      • Black Forest
        • Wolfach
          • Oberwolfach
            • Rankach valley
    		Walenta, K. (1992): Die Mineralien des Schwarzwaldes. Chr. Weise Verlag, München, 336 pp. (in German)
    • Saxony
      • Erzgebirge
    		Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 29 (1976), 7
    India
     
    • Orissa
      • Keonjhar District
    		CanMin 39:979-996
    Italy
     
    • Aosta Valley
      • Montjovet
    		Piccoli, G.C., Maletto, G., Bosio, P., Lombardo, B. (2007). Minerali del Piemonte e della Valle d'Aosta. Associazione Amici del Museo "F. Eusebio" Alba, Ed., Alba (Cuneo) 607 pp.
    • Piedmont
      • Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province
        • Ossola Valley
          • Baceno
            • Devero Alp (Devero Valley; Val Devero)
    		Piccoli, G.C., Maletto, G., Bosio, P., Lombardo, B. (2007). Minerali del Piemonte e della Valle d'Aosta. Associazione Amici del Museo "F. Eusebio" Alba, Ed., Alba (Cuneo) 607 pp.
    • Sardinia
      • Medio Campidano Province
        • Gonnosfanadiga
    		Stara, P., Rizzo, R., Tanca, G.A. (1996): Iglesiente e Arburese. Miniere e Minerali. Edito a cura dell'EMSA e "varie associazioni mineralogiche", Volume 2°, 239 pp.
    • Tuscany
      • Pisa Province
        • Lajatico
          • Orciatico
    		S. Conticelli, P. Manetti, S. Menichetti : "Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Sr-Isotopes in Orendites from South Tuscany, Italy : Constraints on their Genesis and Evolution", European Journal of Mineralogy, 1992, 4, 1359-1375
    Japan
     
    • Hokkaido Island
      • Hidaka Province
        • Biratori
    		H. Okada (1964) Memoirs of the Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Series D, Geology, 15, #1, 23-38.
    • Honshu Island
      • Chubu Region
        • Nagano Prefecture
    		Alfredo Petrov collection
      • Chugoku Region
        • Tottori Prefecture
          • Hino-gun
            • Nichinan-cho
    		Alfredo Petrov - unpublished
    Dr. Kameki Kinoshita collection (curated at Geological Survey of Japan)
    • Kyushu Island
      • Fukuoka Prefecture
    		Dr. Matsuo Nambu collection (curated by the Geological Survey of Japan)
    • Shikoku Island
      • Ehime Prefecture
    Kazakhstan
     
    • Aqtöbe Oblysy (Aktubinsk [Aktyubinsk; Aktubinskaya] Oblast')
      • Urals
    		P.M. Kartashov data
    Morocco
     
    • Souss-Massa-Draâ Region
      • Ouarzazate Province
        • Tazenakht
    		Favreau, G., Meisser, N., Kampf, A., Devouard, B., Parodi, G.C. (2007): Descriptions complémentaires des minéraux du district de Bou Azzer (2001-2007). Le Cahier des Micromonteurs, 2/2007, 3-96.
    New Caledonia
     
    • Northern Province
      • Nouméa Commune
        • Népoui
    		T. Sameshima et al. , Am. Min. , 1983, 68, pp. 1076-1082. / C. Campiglio et al. , Bull. Minéral. , 1986, 109, pp. 423-440.
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
      • Transbaikalia (Zabaykalye)
        • Buriatia (Buryatia) Republic
          • Baikal area
            • Sludyanka (Slyudyanka)
    • Far-Eastern Region
      • Kamchatka Oblast'
        • Koryak Mts
    • Urals Region
      • Central Urals
      • Middle Urals
        • Permskaya Oblast'
          • Gorozavod area
            • Saranovskaya (Sarany; Saranje) Village
    		P.M. Kartashov data
    Slovakia
     
    • Banská Bystrica Region
      • Cérová Mts
        • Hajnačka
    		Uher P., Gregáňová G., Szakall S., 2006: Sapphire-bearingh syenite xenolith from Gortva, Cérová Mountains, Slovakia. Acta Miner.-Petrograph.,Abstract Series 5, Szeged, p.124
    • Košice Region
      • Eastern Slovenské Rudohorie Mts
    		[var: Picrochromite] Pauliš P., Ďuďa R., 2002:Nejznámejší mineralogická nalezište Slovenska. Kuttna, Kutná Hora, 136p
    Háber,M., Hovorka,D., 1981: Ore mineralisation on the contact of an alpine type ultramafic body (Dankova, SGR Mnts). Geol.Zbor. – Geol.Carpath., 91 – 113
    Pauliš P., Ďuďa R., 2002:Nejznámejší mineralogická nalezište Slovenska. Kuttna, Kutná Hora, 136p
    Ďuďa R., Peterec D., 1995 : Die Mineralien der siderit - baryt lagersttäte von Rudňany ( Kotterbach ) in der Slowakei. Mineralien Welt /Haltern/, 1, s.20 - 31
    • Prešov Region
      • Šarišská vrchovina Mts
    		[var: Picrochromite] Koděra, M. et al., 1986 a 1990 : Topografická mineralógia Slovenska, diel 1- 3, Veda – Vydavateľstvo SAV, Bratislava, 1990, 1 – 1590
    Turkey
     
    • Aegean Region
      • Izmir Province
    		Am Min 88:1817-1821
    USA
     
    • Arizona
      • Apache Co.
        • Navajo Indian Reservation
          • Monument Valley
            • Dinnehotso
    		Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 283 ; Gavasci, A.T. & P.F. Kerr (1968), Uranium emplacement at Garnet Ridge, Econ.Geol.: 63: 859-876.
    • California
      • Alameda Co.
        • Livermore
    		[MinRec 20:129-142]
      • Del Norte Co.
        • Gasquet
    		www.mineralsocal.org
      • Mariposa Co.
    		Alfredo Petrov collection
      • Mendocino Co.
        • Red Mountain District
    		www.mineralsocal.org
      • Nevada Co.
        • Washington District
          • Washington
    		www.mineralsocal.org
      • San Benito Co.
        • New Idria District
          • Clear Creek area
    		www.mineralsocal.org
    Mineralogical Record: 36(4): 337-363.
      • San Mateo Co.
    		Minerals of California, 1983, Pemberton, H. E.
      • Tuolumne Co.
    		www.mineralsocal.org
    • Colorado
      • Teller Co.
    		Min Rec 36:2 pp143-185; Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
    • Maine
      • Oxford Co.
    		Anderson, 1991. Maine Mineral Localities, 2nd ed.
    • Maryland
      • Cecil Co.
        • State Line District
    		[MinRec 12:153]
      • Montgomery Co.
    		[MinRec 12:153]
    • North Carolina
      • Clay Co.
    		Forsyth Gem and Mineral Club
      • Jackson Co.
        • Webster- Balsam
    		Wilson,W.F and McKenzie,B.J,1978, Mineral Collecting Sites in North Carolina ,Information Circular 24
    • Pennsylvania
      • Lancaster Co.
        • Fulton Township
    		Mineralogical Record (1981): 12(3): 149-156.
    www.excaliburmineral.com
        • Little Britain Township
          • Texas
    		No reference listed
    • Vermont
      • Lamoille & Orleans Cos.
        • Lowell & Eden Mills
    		Rocks & Min. 71(4):241
    • Virginia
      • Hanover Co.
    		Minerals of Virginia 1990 by R. V. Dietrich
    • Wyoming
      • Sweetwater Co.
    		Am Min 66:663-677
    Mineral and/or Locality
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