Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Chat Now! (2 online) Mindat Auctions

Cobaltite

Big Photo

Håkansboda, Lindesberg, Västmanland, Sweden
© Kristalle and Crys

Show Cobaltite Photos (72)
Formula:
CoAsS
System:OrthorhombicColour:Reddish silver white, ...
Lustre:MetallicHardness:5½
Name:From the German, Kobold, "underground spirit" or "goblin," in allusion to the refusal of cobaltiferous ores to smelt properly, hence "bewitched."


See also the chemically very similar Glaucodot and Alloclasite.

Classification of Cobaltite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/D.18-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.EB.25

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
E : Metal Sulfides, M: S <= 1:2
B : M:S = 1:2, with Fe, Co, Ni, PGE, etc.
Dana 8th edition ID:2.12.3.1

2 : SULFIDES
12 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 1:2
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.10.13

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
10 : Sulphides etc. of Co
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-1093.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Cobaltite

Type Locality:Tunaberg, Nyköping, Södermanland, Sweden
Year of Discovery:1797

Physical Properties of Cobaltite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Reddish silver white, violet steel gray, or black.
Streak:Grayish black
Hardness (Mohs):5½
Hardness (Vickers):VHN100=1095 - 1346
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Perfect
Perfect on {001}
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):6.33 g/cm3
Density (calculated):6.335 g/cm3

Crystallography of Cobaltite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mm2 - Pyramidal
Space Group:Pca21
Cell Parameters:a = 5.582Å, b = 5.582Å, c = 5.582Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 1 : 1 : 1
Unit Cell Volume:V 173.93 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Pseudocubic, pseudopyritohedral crystals
Twinning:{111}, {011}
Crystal Atlas:
Image Loading
Click on an icon to view
Cobaltite - {111}, {210}
Cobaltite - {100}, {210}

About Crystal Atlas

You may need to scroll this box using your mouse to view the full instructions.

The mindat.org Crystal Atlas allows you to view a selection of crystal drawings of real and idealised crystal forms for this mineral and, in certain cases, 3d rotating crystal objects. You need Java to see these. You can download Java for free - click here to download Java

The 3d models and java code are kindly provided by www.smorf.nl. You can control the movement of the models by holding down the left mouse-button over the 3d model and moving your mouse. Keyboard controls are:

: default positions
t/T: decrease/increase transparency x/X: next/previous texture
b/B: next/previous background w: toggle wireframe
s: toggle sticks m: toggle miller indices
k: toggle crystallographic axes =/-: zoom in/out
r: stop/start rotation 1/2/3

Chemical Properties of Cobaltite

Formula:
CoAsS
Essential elements:As, Co, S
All elements listed in formula:As, Co, S
Common Impurities:Cu,Pb,Sb,Fe,Ni

Relationship of Cobaltite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Gersdorffite (see here)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
2.EB.05aAurostibite
AuSb
 
2
2.EB.05bBambollaite
Cu(Se,Te)
 
2
2.EB.05aCattierite
CoS
 
2
2.EB.05aErlichmanite
OsS
 
2
2.EB.05aFukuchilite
Cu
 
3
FeS
 
8
2.EB.05aGeversite
PtSb
 
2
2.EB.05aHauerite
MnS
 
2
2.EB.05aInsizwaite
Pt(Bi,Sb)
 
2
2.EB.05aKrut'aite
CuSe
 
2
2.EB.05aLaurite
RuS
 
2
2.EB.05aPenroseite
(Ni,Co,Cu)Se
 
2
2.EB.05aPyrite
FeS
 
2
2.EB.05aSperrylite
PtAs
 
2
2.EB.05aTrogtalite
CoSe
 
2
2.EB.05aVaesite
NiS
 
2
2.EB.05aVillamanínite
(Cu,Ni,Co,Fe)S
 
2
2.EB.05aDzharkenite
FeSe
 
2
2.EB.05aGaotaiite
Ir
 
3
Te
 
8
2.EB.10bAlloclasite
(Co
 
0.65
Fe
 
0.35
)AsS - CoAsS
2.EB.10dCostibite
CoSbS
2.EB.10aFerroselite
FeSe
 
2
2.EB.10aFrohbergite
FeTe
 
2
2.EB.10cGlaucodot
(Co
 
0.50
Fe
 
0.50
)AsS
2.EB.10aKullerudite
NiSe
 
2
2.EB.10aMarcasite
FeS
 
2
2.EB.10aMattagamite
CoTe
 
2
2.EB.10eParacostibite
CoSbS
2.EB.10ePararammelsbergite
NiAs
 
2
2.EB.10fOenite
CoSbAs
2.EB.15aAnduoite
(Ru,Os)As
 
2
2.EB.15aClinosafflorite
(Co,Fe,Ni)As
 
2
2.EB.15aLöllingite
FeAs
 
2
2.EB.15aNisbite
NiSb
 
2
2.EB.15aOmeiite
(Os,Ru)As
 
2
2.EB.15cPaxite
CuAs
 
2
2.EB.15aRammelsbergite
NiAs
 
2
2.EB.15aSafflorite
(Co,Fe,Ni)As
 
2
2.EB.15bSeinäjokite
(Fe,Ni)(Sb,As)
 
2
2.EB.20Arsenopyrite
FeAsS - (Fe
 
0.90
Co
 
0.10
)AsS
2.EB.20Gudmundite
FeSbS
2.EB.20Osarsite
(Os,Ru)AsS
2.EB.20Ruarsite
(Ru,Os)AsS
2.EB.25Gersdorffite
NiAsS
2.EB.25Hollingworthite
(Rh,Pt,Pd)AsS
2.EB.25Irarsite
(Ir,Ru,Rh,Pt)AsS
2.EB.25Jolliffeite
NiAsSe
2.EB.25Krutovite
NiAs
 
2
2.EB.25Maslovite
PtBiTe
2.EB.25Michenerite
PdBiTe
2.EB.25Padmaite
PdBiSe
2.EB.25Platarsite
(Pt,Rh,Ru)AsS
2.EB.25Testibiopalladite
PdTe(Sb,Te)
2.EB.25Tolovkite
IrSbS
2.EB.25Ullmannite
NiSbS
2.EB.25Willyamite
(Co,Ni)SbS
2.EB.25Changchengite
IrBiS
2.EB.25Mayingite
IrBiTe
2.EB.25Hollingsworthite
2.EB.25Kalungaite
PdAsSe
2.EB.25Milotaite
PdSbSe
2.EB.30Urvantsevite
Pd(Bi,Pb)
 
2
2.EB.35Rheniite
ReS
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
3.10.1Cobaltpentlandite
(Co,Ni,Fe)
 
9
S
 
8
3.10.2Linnaeite
Co
2+
 
Co
3+
2
S
 
4
3.10.3Cattierite
CoS
 
2
3.10.4Freboldite
CoSe
3.10.5Bornhardtite
Co
2+
 
Co
3+
2
Se
 
4
3.10.6Trogtalite
CoSe
 
2
3.10.7Hastite
CoSe
 
2
3.10.8Mattagamite
CoTe
 
2
3.10.9Modderite
(Co,Fe)As
3.10.10Safflorite
(Co,Fe,Ni)As
 
2
3.10.11Clinosafflorite
(Co,Fe,Ni)As
 
2
3.10.12Skutterudite
(Co,Fe,Ni)As
 
2-3
3.10.14Paracostibite
CoSbS
3.10.15Costibite
CoSbS
3.10.16Alloclasite
(Co
 
0.65
Fe
 
0.35
)AsS - CoAsS
3.10.17Glaucodot
(Co
 
0.50
Fe
 
0.50
)AsS
3.10.18Carrollite
Cu(Co,Ni)
 
2
S
 
4

Other Names for Cobaltite

Synonyms:
Bright white cobaltCobalt glanceCobaltineGlanzkobaltGlanzkobaltkies
Glanzkobold
Other Languages:
Basque:Kobaltita
Czech:Kobaltin
Finnish:Kobolttihohde
German:Cobaltit
Kobaltglanz
Kobaltit
Italian:Cobaltite
Lithuanian:Kobaltitas
Polish:Kobaltyn
Russian:Кобальтин
Spanish:Cobaltita
Swedish:Koboltglans
Ukrainian:Кобальтит
Varieties:
Ferroan Cobaltite

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Cobaltite

Reference List:Klaproth, M.H. (1797): Untersuchung des Glanzkobalts von Tunaberg , Beiträge zur chemischen Kenntniss der Mineralkörper, Zweiter Band, Rottmann Berlin, 302-307

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944): The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 296-298.

American Mineralogist (1965): 50: 1002-1014.

Fleet, M.E. and Burns, P.C. (1990) Structure and twinning of cobaltite. Canadian Mineralogist: 28: 719-723.

Internet Links for Cobaltite

Search Engines:
  • Look for Cobaltite on Google
  • Look for Cobaltite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Cobaltite on Webmineral
  • Look for Cobaltite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Cobaltite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Cobaltite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Cobaltite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Cobaltite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • DAKOTA MATRIX offers Cabinet and Rare Species from Worldwide Localities.
  • SpiriferMinerals.com - high quality specimens
  • Rare and Unusual minerals at Mineralogical Research Company
  • Buy minerals from Mineralium.com
  • High-end worldwide specimens & outstanding customer service
  • Fine Minerals from Dan Weinrich Minerals
  • Buy Fine Minerals from mineralsweb.com
  • Top quality minerals from Kristalle of California
  • Mineral Classics - Worldwide Collector Quality Minerals and Gems
  • Buy Minerals and Crystals from Crystalarium.com
  • Wendel Minerals - Auktion & Shop
  • Edwards Minerals - Fine Specimens
    • Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Page Sponsor

    Sponsorship:This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.

    Localities for Cobaltite

    Show Locality List (597 Items)
    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
    www.mindat.org Web
    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them.Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register. Current server date and time: 11th Nov 2009 10:26:19