Erythrite
Mineral Co3(AsO4)2·8H2O
Also called Cobalt bloom
Take care.
- Contains arsenic: Wash your hands after handling it, don't make dust, and never heat it.
About it
Crimson to purplish-pink blades and powdery 'bloom' where cobalt arsenides weather, long used as a sign of cobalt ore. Superb crystals come from Bou Azzer in Morocco; also from Schneeberg in Germany and Cobalt, Ontario.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Arsenate, vivianite group
- Formula
- Co3(AsO4)2·8H2O
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 1.5–2.5
- Specific gravity
- 3.06–3.18
- Streak
- pale pink
- Lustre
- adamantine (diamond-like), vitreous (glassy), pearly
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Colours
- crimson, purplish pink, peach, pink
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- perfect in one direction, thin flexible flakes
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.