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Chromite is the most important ore of chromium from which it

derives its name. Chromium is an important metal and has a wide


range of industrial uses.
Chromite forms in deep ultra-mafic magmas and is one of the first
minerals to crystallize. It is because of this fact that chromite is
found in some concentrated ore bodies. While the magma is slowly
cooling inside the Earth's crust, chromite crsytals are forming and
because of their density, fall to the bottom and are concentrated
there.
Although its primary origin is ultra-mafic rocks such as peridotites,
chromite is also found in metamorphic rocks such as serpentites.
Chromite, as is indicated by its early crystallization is resistant to
the altering affects of high temperatures and pressures. Thus it is
capable of going through the metamorphic processes unscathed,
while other minerals around it are being altered
to serpentine, biotite and garnets. This characteristic also
explains chromites use as a refractory component in the bricks and
linings of blast furnaces.
Usually magnesium is present in chromite substituting for the iron
and in fact a solid solution series exists between chromite and the
much rarer mineral magnesiochromite. All chromite specimens in
nature contain some magnesium, likewise all natural
magnesiochromites contain some iron. Magnesiochromite is grayer
in color and in streak and has a slightly lower density than chromite
at a specific gravity of 4.2 to 4.4.

QUICK ANSWER

Chromite, a mineral ore that is mined from crystallized magma, is used in the
production of steel as a pigment and as a catalyst in many chemical reactions. It is also
an important component of the leather tanning process. Chromite is also used to
anodize aluminum for use in jet engines.
Spinel Group. It apparently forms a complete solid solution series with many other members
of the group, eg. in the Chromite-Hercynite Series,Chromite-Spinel Series, Chromite-

Magnetite Series and the Chromite-Magnesiochromite Series. It is the iron analogue


of Zincochromite, Cochromite,Manganochromite and Magnesiochromite and the Cr analogue
of Hercynite, Coulsonite and Magnetite
It usually contains Mg, ferric iron [Fe(III)], Al and often Ti. "Ferrichromite", i.e. Fe(III)
substitutions for Al and Cr, usually in grain rims, may give high total Fe contents and a false
chromite identification. Of course, the definition requires dominant Fe(II)>Mg and Cr>Fe(III).
(e.g. photo ID: 514894).
"Chromite" is commonly used for any Cr-rich mineral of the spinel group, particularly for the
chromite-magnesiochromite series, and much of the mineral referred to as "chromite" in
geological and petrological papers and mining statistics is usually Magnesiochromite. The Fedominant species - Chromite itself - can be FOUND, although uncommonly, in many
"chromite" deposits, chromitite (rock name), and other "chromite"-bearing occurrences
connected with hyperbasic rocks. As a rule of thumb, a member of the chromitemagnesiochromite series is twice as likely to be a magnesiochromite instead of a chromite.
"Chromites" associated with olivine or serpentines, which are Mg-rich rocks, frequently have
Mg-rich associated minerals. True chromite is common as inclusions in Diamonds from
kimberlites (South Africa and Yakutia). Members of the spinel group may be enriched Cr and
V in marbles (Slyudyanka), massive sulphide ores (Outokumpu) and also in some types of
meteorites. In any case, "chromite" always needs ANALYTICAL CONFIRMATION. Note:
Chromite, that is near end-member, has a higher specific gravity than near end-member
magnesiochromite.

Classification of Chromite
IMA status:
Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th ed.:
4/B.03-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) ed.:
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 ed.:
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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