Chromite

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Chromite

General
Category	Mineral
Chemical formula	iron magnesium chromium oxide: (Fe, Mg)Cr₂O₄
Identification
Color	Black to brownish black
Crystal habit	Octahedral rare; massive to granular
Crystal system	Isometric; hexoctahedral
Cleavage	absent
Fracture	Conchoidal
Mohs Scale hardness	5.5
Luster	Submetallic
Refractive index	Subtranslucent to opaque
Streak	Dark brown
Specific gravity	4.5 - 4.8
Fusibility	Infusible
Other Characteristics	Weakly magnetic
Major varieties
Magnesiochromite

Chromite, iron magnesium chromium oxide: (Fe, Mg)Cr₂O₄, is an oxide mineral belonging to the spinel group. Magnesium is always present in variable amounts, also aluminium and iron substitute for chromium.

Chromite is found in peridotite and other layered ultramafic intrusive rocks and also found in metamorphic rocks such as serpentinites. Ore deposits of chromite form as early magmatic differentiates. It is commonly associated with olivine, magnetite, serpentine, and corundum. The vast Bushveld igneous complex of South Africa is a large layered mafic to ultramafic igneous body with some layers consisting of 90% chromite making the rare rock type, chromitite.

Chromite is also used as a refractory material.

The only ore of chromium is the mineral chromite. In the western hemisphere, chromite ore is produced only in Brazil and Cuba; By comparison, about 80% of world production of chromite comes from India, Iran, Pakistan, Oman, Zimbabwe, Turkey and Southern Africa. Southern Africa itself produces about half of this.

Chromite is mined from the ultramfic rocks in the Zhob District of Balochistan, Most of the chromite is of metallurgical grade with Cr₂O₃ averaging 46% and a chrome to iron ratio of 3:1.