DOCUMENTATION_FORMAT: MINERAL
SAMPLE_ID: HS281.1B, HS281.2B, HS281.3B, HS281.4B
MINERAL_TYPE: Oxide
MINERAL: Chromite (Spinel group)
FORMULA: Fe+2Cr2O4
FORMULA_HTML: Fe+2Cr2O4
COLLECTION_LOCALITY: Sierra Leone
ORIGINAL_DONOR: Hunt and Salisbury Collection
CURRENT_SAMPLE_LOCATION: USGS Denver Spectroscopy Laboratory
ULTIMATE_SAMPLE_LOCATION: USGS Denver Spectroscopy Laboratory
SAMPLE_DESCRIPTION:
Forms series with Magnesiochromite and with Hercynite. Dimorphous with Donathite.
Some Mg is always present substituting for Fe+2 and some Al and Fe+3 may substitute for chromium. There is extensive solid solution between chromite and magnesiochromite, MgCr2O4. Occurs chiefly in ultramafic igneous rocks and is a common constituent of peridotites and other ultrabasic rocks and of serpentines derived from them.
Grain size fractions are indicated by the extension after the sample number:
.1B = <5 µm
.2B = <74 µm
.3B = 74-250 µm
.4B = 250-1200 µm
END_SAMPLE_DESCRIPTION.
XRD_ANALYSIS:
40 kV - 30 mA, 6.5-9.5 keV
File: chrom281.out, *.mdi; chrm281b.out, *.mdi (smear mounts on quartz plates)
References: Huebner's reference patterns
Found: Spinel with ao=8.25 Angstroms, minor chlorite and spinel with ao=8.30 Angstrom;
unidentified weak reflections at 2.58. 2.54. 2.44, 2.030, 2.002, and 1.544
Angstroms.
Comment: The peaks are sharp and well formed, suggesting good crystallinity and compositional heterogeneity. The spinel compositions are distinct, indicating a bimodal distribution of composition rather than a continuous range of solid solution. Most members of the spinel group, including chromite (ao=8.33-8.38 Angstroms), have unit cells larger than those observed. Galaxite has ao=8.28 Angstroms, close to the observed values, and spinel, hercynite, and gahnite have smaller unit cells (ao=8.08-8.14 Angstroms). If the HS281 contains chromite, it has substantial solid solution, most likely with with spinel (MgAl2O4). The textural relationship between the two grains is not known, but if one forms cores, the other mantles, optical spectra may see only one spinel composition. The chlorite has a weak 14 Angstroms reflection.
J.S. Huebner, J. Pickrell, and T. Schaefer, 1994, written communication.
END_XRD_ANALYSIS.
COMPOSITIONAL_ANALYSIS_TYPE: None # XRF, EPMA, ICP(Trace), WChem
COMPOSITION_TRACE: None
None
COMPOSITION_DISCUSSION:
None
END_COMPOSITION_DISCUSSION.
MICROSCOPIC_EXAMINATION:
Mode:
50 vol% chromite
30 vol% Fe-stained feldspar
20 vol% white mica
Chromite has transparent edges, otherwise opaque. Spectrum reflectance level so low that any features due to impurities are obscured. G. Swayze.
END_MICROSCOPIC_EXAMINATION.
SPECTROSCOPIC_DISCUSSION:
END_SPECTROSCOPIC_DISCUSSION.
SPECTRAL_PURITY: 1c2_3_4_ # Chromite HS281.1B # 1= 0.2-3, 2= 1.5-6, 3= 6-25, 4= 20-150 microns
SPECTRAL_PURITY: 1c2_3_4_ # Chromite HS281.2B # 1= 0.2-3, 2= 1.5-6, 3= 6-25, 4= 20-150 microns
SPECTRAL_PURITY: 1c2b3c4b # Chromite HS281.3B # 1= 0.2-3, 2= 1.5-6, 3= 6-25, 4= 20-150 microns
SPECTRAL_PURITY: 1c2_3_4_ # Chromite HS281.4B # 1= 0.2-3, 2= 1.5-6, 3= 6-25, 4= 20-150 microns