Spherocobaltite
Mineral CoCO3
Also called Sphaerocobaltite and Cobaltocalcite
About it
Rose-red to crimson rhombs and spheres, the cobalt member of the calcite group. Fine crystals come from the copper-cobalt mines of Katanga, DR Congo; much pink 'cobalt calcite' is calcite with a little cobalt instead.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Carbonate, calcite group
- Formula
- CoCO3
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 3–4
- Specific gravity
- 4.1–4.13
- Streak
- pink
- Lustre
- vitreous (glassy), adamantine (diamond-like)
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Colours
- rose red, pink, crimson, grey-brown
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- perfect rhombohedral
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.