What are the properties of chromite?

What are the properties of chromite?

Chromite is an oxide mineral composed of chromium, iron, and oxygen (FeCr2O4). It is dark gray to black in color with a metallic to submetallic luster and a high specific gravity….

Physical Properties of Chromite
Chemical Classification Oxide
Cleavage None
Mohs Hardness 5.5 to 6
Specific Gravity 4.0 to 5.1 (variable)

What is the diagnostic physical property for both varieties of chromite?

Chromite is iron-black in color with a metallic luster, a dark brown streak and a hardness on the Mohs scale of 5.5.

What are the uses of the mineral chromite?

Chromium chemicals are used for many purposes; pigments, photography and plating being but a few. Chromite is used as a refractory in the production of steel, copper, glass and cement. Chromite occurs as a primary accessory mineral in basic and ultrabasic igneous rocks.

What type of mineral is chromite?

Chromite is a cumulate mineral which is found in ultramafic portions of layered mafic intrusions or in serpentines and other metamorphic rocks derived from the alteration of ultrabasic rocks.

Is chromite a major mineral?

Chromite is the only commercial source of chromium. It occurs as a primary mineral of ultrabasic igneous rocks and is normally associated with peridotite, pyroxenite, dunite and serpentinite.

What is the value of chromite?

Chromite group, extensive solid-solution series. Note: Magnesiochromite = MgCr2 O4; Hercynite = FeAl2O4….Chromite Information.

Data Value
Refractive Index 2.08-2.16
Colors Black, reddish brown.
Hardness 5.5
Fracture Uneven

Is chromite renewable or nonrenewable?

Chromite is the only ore of chromium, making it especially important for mining and obtaining chromium. Geoscientists claim there are nearly “11 billion tons” of chromite in the world, making it plentiful and abundant. With this amount of chromite available, renewable energy sources can be sustained for years.

What is chromite sand?

Chromite Sand is a naturally occurring spinel consisting primarily of the oxides of chrome and iron. It is a by-product of ferro-chrome production and is mainly used in foundry applications and in glass production.

Is chromite a major mineral in India?

India’s major mineral resources include Coal (4th largest reserves in the world), Iron ore, Manganese ore (7th largest reserve in the world as in 2013), Mica, Bauxite (5th largest reserve in the world as in 2013), Chromite, Natural gas, Diamonds, Limestone and Thorium.

How is chromite mined and refined?

Mining of chromite is carried out by open-pit and underground mining. Whereas open-pit mining is generally applied to podiform deposits, underground mining is applied to stratiform deposits.

What is the hardness of chromite?

4.5
The chromite has an uneven fracture, brittle tenacity, submetallic luster, and brown streak. The specific gravity is between 4.5 and 4.8, and hardness of 4.5 in Mohs scale.

What is the price of chromite?

The U.S. chromium metal (99% Cr) average price was $3.30 per pound in January 2021, a 5% increase from the average price in December 2020, and a 3% increase compared with the average price in January 2020.

What is the chemical composition of chromite?

Chromite is an oxide mineral composed of chromium, iron, and oxygen (FeCr2O4). It is dark gray to black in color with a metallic to submetallic luster and a high specific gravity.

Why is chromite important to the environment?

Chromite is important because it is the only economic ore of chromium, an essential element for a wide variety of metal, chemical, and manufactured products. Many other minerals contain chromium, but none of them are found in deposits that can be economically mined to produce chromium. Chromite can be challenging to identify.

What is the difference between chromite and magnesiochromite?

Magnesiochromite is sometimes classified as a variety of Chromite, but is scientifically recognized as an individual mineral. Chromite is the main ore of the element chromium.

Can chromite be found in crystallized form?

However, due to mining restrictions and the fact that Chromite is not commonly found in crystallized form, it is not well-represented in mineral collections. Chromite is isomorphous with the mineral Magnesiochromite and is easily confused with it, as they occur in the same environment s.