Color is red to reddish purple and sometimes a deep enough red to appear black. Luster is vitreous. Transparency crystals are transparent to translucent. Combinations of these forms are common and sometimes the rare faces of the hexoctahedron, a 48 sided crystal habit that rarely is seen by itself, can also combine with these other forms making very attractive, complex and multifaceted crystals. Massive and granular occurrences are also common.
Cleavage is absent.
Fracture is conchoidal. Streak is white. Associated Minerals are olivine , serpentine , biotite , hornblende , augite , pyroxenes and diamond . Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, color, hardness and enviroment.