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ORE:

An ore is a type of rock that contains sufficient minerals with important elements including
metals that can be economically extracted from the rock. The ores are extracted through mining;
these are refined (often via smelting) to extract the valuable element(s) [1]

Mineral:A mineral is an element or chemical compound that is normally crystalline and that has been
formed as a result of geological processes. [2]. A mineral is formed through natural processes. A
mineral can be an element or a compound, but it has a specific chemical composition and
physical properties that are different from those of other minerals. Silver, tungsten, halite, and
quartz are all examples of minerals. Each one has a different chemical composition, as well as
different physical properties. All minerals have a specific chemical composition. Minerals are
either pure elements or chemical compounds. An element is a substance in which all of the atoms
have the same number of protons. (Protons are the positive particles in the center of every atom,
the nucleus.) You cannot change an element into another element by chemical means because the
number of protons does not change. Silver, sodium, silicon, and oxygen are a few of the elements
found in minerals. A few minerals are made of only one kind of element. The mineral silver is a
pure element because it is made up of only silver atoms. Minerals that are not pure elements are
made of compounds. For example, the mineral quartz is made of the compound silicon dioxide,
or SiO2. This compound has one atom of the element silicon for every two atoms of the element
oxygen. When a mineral has a different chemical formula, it is a different mineral. For example,
the mineral hematite has two iron atoms for every three oxygen atoms, while the mineral
magnetite has three iron atoms for every four oxygen atoms. Many minerals contain more
complex chemical compounds that are made of several elements. However, even the elements in
more complicated compounds occur in certain ratios. [3]

Chromite:Chromite was named in 1845 by Wilhelm Haidinger n allusion to its composition. The species
was originally named fer chromate alumine by Louis Nicolas Vauquelin in 1798. Vauquelin was
the discoverer of the element chromium. [4].Chromite is an oxide mineral composed of
chromium, iron and oxygen (FeCr2O4). Its color is between dark grey and black with a metallic
to
submetallic
luster
and
a
high
gravity.
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 [5]. Chromium compounds are widely used in many industries, and their demands on
a global scale increase steadily year by year. Generally, chromite ore is the exclusive primary
source of chromium for the chemical industries, and the alkali roasting process has always been
the commercial extraction technology for chromate production [6].
Chromium compounds find various applications in both process manufacturing industries and
discrete manufacturing industries. However, hexavalent chromium compounds are widely known
as toxic and carcinogenic chemicals. Since sodium chromate (Na2CrO4) serves as an
intermediate product in manufacturing other hexavalent chromium compounds from chromite
ore, its manufacturing methods are of great importance and have attracted rising public

environmental concerns [7]. Chromite is a commercially valuable mineral as it is the principle


ore of the element chromium. 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 environments [8].

Physical properties of chromite:Chromite can be challenging to identify. Several properties must be considered to differentiate it
from other metallic ores. Hand specimen identification of chromite requires a consideration of:
color, specific gravity, luster, and a characteristic brown streak. The most important clue to
identifying chromite is its association with ultrabasic igneous rocks and metamorphic rocks such
as serpentinite.
Chemical classification
Color
Streak
Luster
Diaphaneity
Mohs Hardness
Specific Gravity
Diagnostic Properties
Chemical Composition

Crystal System
Uses
3-D Crystal Atlas

Oxide
dark gray to black, rarely
brownish black
dark brown
metallic to submetallic
opaque
5.5 to 6
4.0 to 5.1 (variable)
luster, streak
FeCr2O4 with magnesium
substituting for iron in
significant amounts
Isometric
an ore of chromium

octahedral

Chromite is sometimes slightly magnetic. This can cause it to be confused with magnetite.
Chromite and ilmenite have very similar properties. Careful observations of hardness, streak and
specific gravity are required to distinguish these minerals in hand specimens.[9]

Chemical Properties:Its colour is silver-gray and it can be highly polished. It does not tarnish in air, when heated it
borns and forms the green chromic oxide. Chromium is unstable in oxygen, it immediately
produces a thin oxide layer that is impermeable to oxygen and protects the metal below.

Atomic number

24

Atomic mass

51.996 g.mol -1

Electronegativity

1.6

Density

7.19 g.cm-3 at 20C

Melting point

1907 C

Boiling point

2672 C

Vander Waals radius

0.127 nm

Ionic radius

0.061 nm (+3) ; 0.044 nm (+6)

Isotopes

Electronic shell

[ Ar ] 3d5 4s1

Energy of first ionization

651.1 kJ.mol -1

Energy of second ionization

1590.1 kJ.mol -1

Energy of first ionization

2987 kJ.mol -1

Standard potential

- 0.71 V (Cr3+ / Cr )

Discovered by

Vaughlin in 1797

Health effects of chromium :People can be exposed to chromium through breathing, eating or drinking and through skin
contact with chromium or chromium compounds. The level of chromium in air and water is
generally low. In drinking water the level of chromium is usually low as well, but contaminated
well water may contain the dangerous chromium(IV); hexavalent chromium. For most people
eating food that contains chromium (III) is the main route of chromium uptake, as chromium
(III) occurs naturally in many vegetables, fruits, meats, yeasts and grains. Various ways of food
preparation and storage may alter the chromium contents of food. When food in stores in steel
tanks or cans chromium concentrations may rise. Chromium (III) is an essential nutrient for
humans and shortages may cause heart conditions, disruptions of metabolisms and diabetes. But
the uptake of too much chromium (III) can cause health effects as well, for instance skin rashes.
Chromium (VI) is a danger to human health, mainly for people who work in the steel and textile
industry. People who smoke tobacco also have a higher chance of exposure to chromium.
Chromium (VI) is known to cause various health effects. When it is a compound in leather
products, it can cause allergic reactions, such as skin rash. After breathing it in chromium (VI)
can cause nose irritations and nosebleeds.
Other health problems that are caused by chromium (VI) are:
- Skin rashes
- Upset stomachs and ulcers
- Respiratory problems
- Weakened immune systems
- Kidney and liver damage
- Alteration of genetic material
- Lung cancer
- Death. [10]

Refrences:1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

7.
8.
9.
10.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ore,Guilbert, John M. and Charles F. Park, Jr., The


Geology of Ore Deposits, W. H. Freeman, 1986, p. 1 ISBN 0-7167-1456-6
Cited on 31-3-2015
ERNEST H.NICKEL,THE DEFINITION OF A MINERAL. The Canadian
mineralogist vol.33.pp.689-690 (1995).
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/High_School_Earth_Science/What_are_Minerals
%3F
Cited on 1-4-2015
http://www.mindat.org/min-1036.html
Cited on 1-4-2015
http://geology.com/minerals/chromite.shtml.
Cited on 31-3-2015
Gang Chen a,b, Xiaohui Wang a, JiajunWang c, Hao Dua, Ying
Zhang a, Shi-Li Zheng a,, Yi Zhanga, A new metallurgical
process for the clean utilization of chromite ore, International
Journal of Mineral Processing 131 (2014) 5868
Hai Zhang a,b,c, Hong-bin Xua,b,, Xiaofei Zhang a,b, Yang Zhang a,b, Yi
Zhanga,b, Pressure oxidative leaching of Indian chromite ore in concentrated
NaOH solution, Hydrometallurgy 142 (2014) 4755
http://www.minerals.net/mineral/chromite.aspx
Cited on 31-3-2015
http://geology.com/minerals/chromite.shtml
Cited on 1-4-2015
http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/cr.htm#Health%20effects%20of
%20chromium
Cited on 31-3-2015

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