Physical Characteristics of CHROMITE
February 6, 2009
Color is brownish black to a deep dark black.
Luster is metallic to greasy.
Transparency: Crystals are opaque.
Crystal System is isometric; 4/m bar 3 2/m
Crystal Habits include octahedrons often with dodecahedral faces modifing the edges of the octahedron to the point of rounding the crystal. Well formed crystals are rare and chromite is usually found massive or granular.
Cleavage is absent.
Fracture is conchoidal.
Hardness is 5.5
Specific Gravity is 4.5 – 4.8 (average for metallic minerals)
Streak is brown.
Other characteristics: Weakly magnetic and an octahedral parting is sometimes seen.
Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, streak, associations with ultra-basic minerals and parting
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