Images
Formula: CoAs3
Arsenide,
skutterudite subgroup,
perovskite supergroup,
cobalt-bearing mineral
Forms a series with nickelskutterudite
Crystal System: Isometric
Specific gravity: 6.5 measured, 6.821 calculated
Hardness: 5½ to 6
Streak: Black
Colour: Tin-white to silver-grey, grey
Common impurities: S,Bi,Cu,Pb,Zn,Ag,Fe,Ni
Environments:
Skutterudite is an arsenic-bearing hydrothermal ore mineral
(AM102.108-116), found in medium to
high temperature veins with other nickel-cobalt
minerals, associated with nickeline,
cobaltite,
arsenopyrite, silver,
bismuth, calcite,
siderite, baryte and
quartz (HOM).
Localities
At Cobalt, Ontario, Canada, skutterudite pseudomorphs after
silver have been found
(KL p133).
Skutterudite vrom the Cobalt Area - Image
At Reichelsdorf, Hessen, Germany, skutterudite occurs with erythrite
(FM 47628).
At Johanngeorgenstadt, Erzgebirgskreis, Saxony, Germany, skutterudite was fairly widely distributed in the
bismuth - cobalt -
nickel ore veins. Crystals often show combinations of cubic, dodecahedral and
octahedral forms. Massive skutterudite commonly formed compact stringers or lenses from 3 to 10 cm thick.
Associated species include safflorite,
rammelsbergite, nickeline,
native bismuth, pitchblende, various
silver ores, quartz and
dolomite
(MinRec 55.5.620).
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