Cobalt

cobalt

cobaltite

erythrite

glaucodot

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:

Alloys
wairauite

Sulphides
carrollite
cobaltite
cobaltpentlandite
costibite
glaucodot
linnaeite
paracostibite
willyamite

Selenides
penroseite
tyrrellite

Tellurides
mattagamite

Arsenides
clinosafflorite
oenite
safflorite
skutterudite

Oxides and Hydroxides
guite
jamborite

Carbonates
kaznakhtite
spherocobaltite

Selenites
cobaltomenite

Sulphates
aplowite
moorhouseite
wupatkiite

Arsenates
cobaltarthurite
cobaltaustinite
cobaltkoritnigite
cobaltlotharmeyerite
cobalttsumcorite
erythrite
hloušekite
pradetite
roselite
anorthoroselite

Nesosilicates
oursinite

Back to Minerals