Template:Short description Template:Infobox mineral Cobaltite is an arsenide and sulfide mineral with the mineral formula CoAsS. It is the naming mineral of the cobaltite group of minerals, whose members structurally resemble pyrite (FeS2).
HistoryEdit
Cobaltite was first described in 1797 by Klaproth.<ref name=Mindat>Page Cobaltite: Mineral information, data and localities on {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Its name stems from the contained element cobalt, whose name is attributed to the German term Kobold, referring to an "underground spirit" or "goblin". The notion of "bewitched" minerals stems from cobaltite and other cobalt ores withstanding the smelting methods of the medieval period, often producing foul-smelling, poisonous fumes in the process.<ref name=Mindat/>
PropertiesEdit
Cobaltite naturally appears in the form of a tetartoid, a form of dodecahedron with chiral tetrahedral symmetry.
Its impurities may contain up to 10% iron and variable amounts of nickel.<ref name=Klein>Klein, Cornelus and Cornrlius Hurlbut, 1996, Manual of Mineralogy, 20th ed., Wiley, p.288, Template:ISBN</ref>
Cobaltite can be separated from other minerals by selective, pH controlled, flotation methods, where cobalt recovery usually involves hydrometallurgy. It can also be processed with pyrometallurgical methods, such as flash smelting.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
OccurrencesEdit
Although rare, it is mined as a significant source of the strategically important metal cobalt. It occurs in high-temperature hydrothermal deposits and contact metamorphic rocks. It occurs in association with magnetite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, skutterudite, allanite, zoisite, scapolite, titanite, and calcite along with numerous other Co–Ni sulfides and arsenides.<ref name=Handbook/> It is found chiefly in Sweden, Norway, Germany, Cornwall, England, Canada, La Cobaltera<references group="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-08-14/battery-boom-spurs-quest-to-resurrect-world-war-ii-cobalt-mines" />, Chile, Australia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Morocco.<ref name="Handbook" /><ref name="Klein" /><ref name="Report" /> Crystals have also been found at Khetri in Rajasthan, and under the name sehta the mineral was used by Indian jewellers for producing a blue enamel on gold and silver ornaments.<ref name="EB1911">{{#if: |
|{{#ifeq: Cobaltite |
|{{#ifeq: |
|
|
}}
|
}}
}}{{#ifeq: |
|{{#ifeq: y |
|This article
|One or more of the preceding sentences
}} incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:
}}{{#invoke:template wrapper|{{#if:|list|wrap}}|_template=cite EB1911
|_exclude=footnote, inline, noicon, no-icon, noprescript, no-prescript, _debug
| noicon=1
}}{{#ifeq: ||}}</ref>
Secondary weathering incrustations of erythrite, hydrated cobalt arsenate, are common.Template:Citation needed
A variety containing much iron replacing cobalt, and known as ferrocobaltite (Template:Langx), was found at Siegen in Westphalia.<ref name="EB1911"/>
ReferencesEdit
<references/>
