Mineral description : Cobaltite

Cobaltite from Håkansboda. 1 cm xx at left.

Cobaltite from Riddarhyttan. Small xx.

Cobaltite from Håkansboda. Same as above, after some work.

Cobaltite from Riddarhyttan. As above, after some work.

Mineral class	Sulphides : nickeline-cobaltite-skutterudite group.
Chemical formula	CoAsS
Crystal system	Cubic.
Habitus	Crystals common, mostly as cubes, petagondodecaedric or octaedric. Also grainy to compact.
Cleavage	Perfect, fracture uneven.
Hardness	5.5
Density	6.3
Color	Steel gray to silvery white, sometimes with a pink tint.
Streak	Grayish black.
Luster	Metallic.
Description
Occurance	In hydrothermal veins or in metamorphic rock together with other arsenides and sulphides.
Associates	Chalkopyrite, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite.
Notes
Locations	Relatively common mineral in Sweden. Håkansboda, Västmanland. Beautiful crystals from 1 to 6 cm in chalkopyrite and pyrrhotite. Tunaberg, Södermanland. As beautiful crystals up to 1 cm in grainy calcite. Vena, Närke. As small pentagondodecaedric crystals in chalkopyrite. Riddarhyttan, Västmanland. Up to 2 cm crystals with chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite in dolomite.

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