Along with the widely known copper quarries and a giant chrysotil-as-Best field, three small chromite minerals near the top of the Olympos Mountain, in Cyprus, were in Cyprus. They still remain some ore reserves, already unprofitable. Despite the fact that they are not exploited now, these deposits have made an important contribution to the island’s economy.
What is chrome?
The main chromium-carrier mineral is called chromite. Its distinctive features are a high specific gravity (much heavier than ordinary stones), a half -metal gloss of the units and a characteristic brown color of the line in the black color of the mineral itself. By the way, this line (or the color of the mineral in the powder) can be seen only by drawing it on a porcelain unglazed plate. Such a surface can be found, for example, on the back of the bottom of some plates or mugs. It itself is most easily detected on the Kannoures trail, especially from the road to Troodos, or directly at the entrance to the adit (the so -called horizontal mining, a certain “tunnel” for production, in the thickness of the rocks).
A sample of massive chromite from the Cannures deposit. Photo and find D. Tonkacheev, Spring 2025 Where to find chromium deposits and in what breeds?
The most significant of the deposits were revealed around the Olympos Mountain, in the contact zone of two magmatic breeds-dark green gantskburgitis and yellowish Dunis. Both of them are ultra -bearing composition (i.e., contain less than 45% of silicon oxide).
Harzburgit consists of olivine minerals and orthopyroxen with a small amount of cellypoxene and amphibol. Olivin is green or yellowish, often covered with other phases. But Pyroxent and amphibol geologists easily distinguish between such a property as adhesion. This is the ability of minerals to split into certain logical fragments.
Pitness in pyroxene (a) and in amphibole (b)
However, it is not necessary to take a hammer. Looking at the slightly elongated crystals of these minerals, it can be noted that microcracks in them intersect at an angle of 90 ° (pyroxene), or 120 ° (amphibola).
In the Dunis, in addition to Olivin, there is a small amount of chromite, and the above minerals are only in the form of impurities. At the same time, chromitis often forms stripes, or leopard patterns in fairly homogeneous blocks of rocks.
The largest of the 64 dunite manifestations found are the deposits of Kokkinorotsos, Cannarez and Hadjipavlu.
A little story
The first tons of chromite were mined in the Limassol forest in 1922, and in 1924 the Kokkinorotsos deposit was already working. Then Cannares (1939) were launched, and, finally, Hadjipavlu (1950-1954). Until 1962, the Cyprus Chrome Company controlled by all three, and then, from 1964 to 1982, Helllenic Mining Company. The average content of the useful component was 45-60%. The prey was most often conducted in an underground method, usually from vertical veins and lenses, and the voids formed in the mountains were either laid with stones, or walled up under pressure from a special mixture, which was taken from the “tails” (production waste) in the vicinity of Kacotropia. In rare cases, a sinter combine was used.
Entrance to the adit of the Cannes deposit in January 2022. It’s unsafe to go inside the adit. Photo by D. Tonkacheev
From 1930 to 1983, more than 560 metric tons of chromite pellets were obtained, the export of which brought more than 16 million euros of income.
Stop production
Due to the features of Cyprus chromitis, the resulting product was intended mainly for the production of refractory materials. Small concentrates, less than 0.2 mm, were ordered for metallurgy and glass production.
The reason for the closure of Cyprus Stollen was the opening of a giant chromium deposit in South Africa and the emergence of new artificial refractory materials.
Dmitry Toncacheev
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