Images
Symbol Co, element, transition metal.
Cobalt has been found in its native state in alloys of natural meteoric
iron in a few places on Earth, and in Moon rocks,
but it is not proposed as a new mineral species (Mindat).
Specific gravity: 8.9
Colour: Bluish white
Melting point: 1495o
Boiling point: 2930o
Abundance: 25 parts per million by weight, 8 parts per million by moles in the Earth's crust, 4 parts per million by weight, 0.7 parts per
million by molesin the Solar System
(ChC).
Oxidation states -1, 0, 5, 3 (ChC)
The main ores of cobalt are cobaltite, erythrite,
glaucodot and skutterudite. Cobalt is
generally produced as a by-product of nickel and copper
mining
(ChC).
Cobalt-bearing minerals include:
Sulphides
cobaltite
cobaltpentlandite
costibite
glaucodot
linnaeite
willyamite
Arsenides
clinosafflorite
safflorite
skutterudite
Carbonates
spherocobaltite
Selenites
cobaltomenite
Arsenate
cobaltarthurite
cobaltaustinite
cobaltkoritnigite
cobaltlotharmeyerite
erythrite
roselite
Back to Minerals