Cobaltite
Cobaltite is named after its cobalt content.
Cobaltite forms opaque silvery-white to reddish or greyish black pseudocubic or pseudopyritohedral crystals or granular masses.
Cobaltite is rarely faceted. Massive material is used for cabochons.
Cobaltite forms opaque silvery-white to reddish or greyish black pseudocubic or pseudopyritohedral crystals or granular masses.
Cobaltite is rarely faceted. Massive material is used for cabochons.
| General Information | ||||||||||||
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| Chemical Formula |
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| Physical Properties of Cobaltite | ||||||||||||
| Mohs Hardness | 5.5, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references | |||||||||||
| Specific Gravity | 6.3, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references | |||||||||||
| Tenacity | Brittle, Handbook of mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||||
| Cleavage Quality | Perfect, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references | |||||||||||
| Fracture | Uneven, Handbook of mineralogy (2001) More from other references | |||||||||||
| Optical Properties of Cobaltite | ||||||||||||
| Refractive Index | Out of the range of gemmological instruments, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) | |||||||||||
| Pleochroism | Very weak, on grain boundaries, Handbook of mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||||
| Colour | ||||||||||||
| Colour (General) | Silver to greyish black, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references | |||||||||||
| Transparency | Opaque, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references | |||||||||||
| Lustre | Metallic, Gemstones (2009) | |||||||||||
| Crystallography of Cobaltite | ||||||||||||
| Crystal System | Orthorhombic, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references | |||||||||||
| Habit | Pseudocubic or pseudopyritohedral, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references | |||||||||||
| Geological Environment | ||||||||||||
| Where found: | In high-temperature hydrothermal deposits, as disseminations, and as veins in contact metamorphosed rocks., Handbook of mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||||
| Further Information | ||||||||||||
| Mineral information: | Cobaltite information at mindat.org | |||||||||||
| Significant Gem Localities | ||||||||||||
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