A chromite of magnesium, MgCr₂O₄, belonging to the spinel group, whose pure form is known only as a synthetic product and which occurs naturally as a brittle black mineral that contains a substantial amount of ferrous iron replacing magnesium.
Origin
1920s.
Definition of picrochromite in US English:
picrochromite
noun
Mineralogy
A chromite of magnesium, MgCr₂O₄, belonging to the spinel group, whose pure form is known only as a synthetic product and which occurs naturally as a brittle black mineral that contains a substantial amount of ferrous iron replacing magnesium.