COBALT

• Chemistry: Co, elemental cobalt
• Class: Elements
• Subclass: Native Metals
• Uses: Many applications for metallic cobalt.
• Specimens

Cobalt has yet to be found in nature, but is being grown in labratories and these cobalt specimens are starting to appear in rock shops. Since it has never been found in nature it is technically not a mineral although lab grown specimens can look like a natural stone.

The element cobalt has many industrial uses especially in dyes and in magnets. As a dye, cobalt produces a spectacular blue color that is used most noteably in glass and ceramics. When alloyed with iron and nickel, cobalt produces a strong magnet. Cobalt has many uses in certain alloys for airplane parts and engines.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

• Color is steel grey.
• Luster is metallic.
• Transparency: Specimens are opaque.
• Crystal System is isometric.
• Crystal Habits include only lab grown specimens.
• Specific Gravity is 8.9 (very heavy for a metallic mineral).
• Other Charateristics: Magnetic.
• Notable Occurrences include only lab grown specimens.
• Best Field Indicators are color, magnetism and density.