Chromium-bearing Diopside

Where it forms, where it's found

Geological setting: Basic and ultrabasic igneous and metamorphic rocks

167recorded occurrences

Source · OpenStreetMap

Physical

Lustre: Vitreous (Glassy)
Colour: Green
Streak: White green
Cleavage: [110] Good, [???] Indistinct

Optical

Luminescence: None

Chemical composition

Constituent elements: Mass composition breakdown
Element Atoms At. mass g/mol Mass g/mol Mass share
8OOxygen Oxygen 6 15.999 95.994
35.75%
14SiSilicon Silicon 2 28.085 56.170
20.92%
24CrChromium Chromium 1 51.996 51.996
19.36%
20CaCalcium Calcium 1 40.078 40.078
14.92%
12MgMagnesium Magnesium 1 24.305 24.305
9.05%
Total 268.543 100.00%
Mass share = atoms × atomic mass ÷ molar mass × 100
From Mindat formula

Mass composition breakdown
Element	Atoms	At. mass g/mol	Mass g/mol	Mass share
8OOxygen	Oxygen	6	15.999	95.994	35.75%
14SiSilicon	Silicon	2	28.085	56.170	20.92%
24CrChromium	Chromium	1	51.996	51.996	19.36%
20CaCalcium	Calcium	1	40.078	40.078	14.92%
12MgMagnesium	Magnesium	1	24.305	24.305	9.05%
	Total	268.543	100.00%

Synonyms

Chrom-Diopsid
Chrome-Diopside
Chromian Diopside
Cr-Diopside
Cromodiopsido

Literature, links & citation

Citations

2004Bromiley, Geoffrey D., Keppler, Hans, McCammon, Catherine, Bromiley, Fiona A., Jacobsen, Steven D. (2004) Hydrogen solubility and speciation in natural, gem-quality chromian diopside. American Mineralogist, 89 (7) 941-949 doi:10.2138/am-2004-0703DOI: 10.2138/am-2004-0703

Cite this entry

@misc{mineral2026,
  author    = {Mineral Index editorial board},
  title     = {Chromium-bearing Diopside — Mineral Index},
  year      = {2026},
  url       = {https://mineralindex.org/minerals/chromium-bearing-diopside-1033},
  note      = {Accessed 2026-05-11}
}