Cobaltite is a

sulfide Sulfide (British English also sulphide) is an inorganic anion of sulfur with the chemical formula S2− or a compound containing one or more S2− ions. Solutions of sulfide salts are corrosive. ''Sulfide'' also refers to chemical compounds lar ...

mineral composed of cobalt, arsenic, and

sulfur Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula ...

, Co As S. Its impurities may contain up to 10% iron and variable amounts of nickel.Klein, Cornelus and Cornrlius Hurlbut, 1996, ''Manual of Mineralogy'', 20th ed., Wiley, p.288, Structurally, it resembles pyrite (FeS₂) with one of the sulfur atoms replaced by an arsenic atom. Although rare, it is mined as a significant source of the strategically important metal cobalt. Secondary weathering incrustations of erythrite, hydrated cobalt arsenate, are common. A variety containing much iron replacing cobalt, and known as ferrocobaltite (german: link=no, Stahlkobalt), was found at Siegen in Westphalia. The name is from the German, ''Kobold'', "underground spirit" in allusion to the "refusal" of cobaltiferous ores to smelt as they are expected to, including the foul-smelling, poisonous fumes the ores gave off. Cobaltite, which contains both arsenic and sulfur, was one of these ores. It occurs in high-temperature hydrothermal deposits and contact metamorphic rocks. It occurs in association with magnetite,

sphalerite Sphalerite (sometimes spelled sphaelerite) is a sulfide mineral with the chemical formula . It is the most important ore of zinc. Sphalerite is found in a variety of deposit types, but it is primarily in Sedimentary exhalative deposits, sedimen ...

, chalcopyrite, skutterudite,

allanite Allanite (also called orthite) is a sorosilicate group of minerals within the broader epidote group that contain a significant amount of rare-earth elements. The mineral occurs mainly in metamorphosed clay-rich sediments and felsic igneous rocks. ...

zoisite Zoisite, first known as saualpite, after its type locality, is a calcium aluminium hydroxy sorosilicate belonging to the epidote group of minerals. Its chemical formula is Ca2 Al3( Si O4)(Si2O7)O(O H). Zoisite occurs as prismatic, orthorhombi ...

, scapolite, titanite, and

calcite Calcite is a Carbonate minerals, carbonate mineral and the most stable Polymorphism (materials science), polymorph of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). It is a very common mineral, particularly as a component of limestone. Calcite defines hardness 3 on ...

along with numerous other Co–Ni sulfides and arsenides. It was described as early as 1832. It is found chiefly in

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

, Norway, Germany, Cornwall, England, Canada, La Cobaltera, Chile,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Morocco. 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. 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.

References

Mineral galleries
Cobaltite-mun05-71a

{{commons category Cobalt minerals Iron minerals Arsenic minerals Sulfosalt minerals Orthorhombic minerals Minerals in space group 29