CHEMISTRY FeCr2O4 Iron chrome oxide
CRYSTALLOGRAPHY Isometric (Cubic)
CRYSTAL GROWTH AND HABITS Chromite forms octahedral crystals modified by cubes or dodecahedrons. Crystals are small and rare. More commonly it forms granular, massive intergrowths with other minerals.
COLOR AND OTHER OPTICAL PROPERTIES Chromite is brownish black to black and is opaque to translucent.
HARDNESS 5.5
SPECIFIC GRAVITY 4.6 - 4.8
LUSTER Submetallic to metallic
STREAK dark brown
BREAKABILITY Uneven fracture
OCCURRENCE Chromite is formed during the early stages of magmatic segregation, and found with ultramafic igneous rocks, like peridotites.
ASSOCIATED MINERALS Olivine, Corundum, Serpentine