Haemotite

"Before handling these first wash your hands, or regret it."

- Vodvo.

Haemotite is a mineral native to the  homeworld. The mineral is typically pink and purple, and under a heated environment can rapidly form into trigonal crystals. Haemotite crystals are capable of imbibing many chemical signatures, as well as being attracted to them, and combust when coming in contact with bodily fluids like blood. This feature has been applied to numerous Covenant weapons, such as the, or the.

Composition
"The Jackals have a term for deals they like to call a "cave trade". It's where they'd lure a fellow who's giving them trouble to one of their crystal caves, then throw him in and see how far he'd get before he got cut on a shard. Then they'd sit back, munch whatever aliens use for popcorn, and watch the explosions."

- Anonymous Naval Intelligence agent.