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, so 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, 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.
