Cobalt

cobalt

cobaltite

erythrite

glaucodot

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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: 1495^o
Boiling point: 2930^o
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 - an alloy is a substance that combines more than one metal or mixes a metal with other non-metallic elements
Sulphides - the sulphide anion is S^2-
Selenides - the selenide anion is Se^2-
Tellurides - the telluride anion is Te^2-
Arsenides - the arsenide anion is As^3-
Oxides - the oxide anion is O^2-
Hydroxides - the hydroxide anion is (OH)^-
Carbonates - the carbonate anion is (CO₃)^2-
Selenites - the selenite anion is (Se⁴⁺O₃)^2-
Sulphates - the sulphate anion is (SO₄)^2-
Arsenates - the arsenate anion is (As⁵⁺O₄)^3-
Nesosilicates - insular (Si⁴⁺O₄)^4- groups

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