Guite is a rare chromium oxide mineral that occurs as small, metallic-looking platy crystals. It is primarily found in chromite-rich geological settings and is highly sought after by advanced mineral collectors due to its scarcity.
Is this guite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch guite with a known reference. Guite sits at Mohs 5-6 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Guite leaves a black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Guite typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black, brownish-black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: platy crystals.
Often confused with
Guite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Guite leaves black, Iron Ore leaves reddish-brown to black; luster reads metallic on Guite and metallic to submetallic on Iron Ore.
How to tell apart: Luster reads metallic on Guite and submetallic on Manaccanite.
Often found alongside guite
Minerals reported to co-occur with guite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Cr₂O₃
- Mohs hardness
- 5-6
- Density
- 5.36 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Platy Crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Chromitite Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find guite
Classic worldwide localities
- Kempir-Say, Kazakhstan
Field-hunting tip
Look in chromitite deposits country — that is the host setting where guite typically forms. If you start seeing chromite, uvarovite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a platy crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find guite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
