Sphaerocobaltite Mineral Data

Sphaerocobaltite Mineral Data +

General Sphaerocobaltite Information

Chemical Formula:

CoCO3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 118.94 gm

Cobalt 49.55 % Co 63.00 % CoO

Carbon 10.10 % C 37.00 % CO₂

Oxygen 40.35 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Co(CO₃)

Environment:

Altered Co-Ni veins.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1877

Locality:

Schneeberg, Saxony, Germany. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the composition and form.

Synonym:

Cobaltocalcite

ICSD 61066

PDF 11-692

Sphaerocobaltite Image

Images:

Sphaerocobaltite

Comments: Calcite with numerous crystals of red sphaerocobaltite to 3 mm across.
Location: Kamoto Mine, Mashamba, Katanga, Dem. Rep. of the Congo. Scale: Picture size 1.5 cm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Sphaerocobaltite Vladimirite

Comments: Translucent white prismatic vladimirite microcrystals with pink sphaerocobaltite.
Location: Irhtem Mine, near Bou Azzer, Ouarzazate, Morocco. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Sphaerocobaltite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:3.21034

Cell Dimensions:

a = 4.659, c = 14.957, Z = 6; V = 281.16 Den(Calc)= 4.21

Crystal System:

Trigonal - Hexagonal ScalenohedralH-M Symbol (3 2/m) Space Group: R 3c

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.743(1), 3.551(0.4), 1.702(0.3),

Physical Properties of Sphaerocobaltite

Cleavage:

[1011] Perfect, [1011] Perfect, [1011] Perfect

Color:

Gray brown, Pink, Black, Rose red.

Density:

4.1

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to translucent

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

Radial - Crystals radiate from a center without producing stellar forms (e.g. stibnite)

Habit:

Spherical - Spherical, rounded aggregates.

Hardness:

3-4 - Calcite-Fluorite

Luster:

Vitreous - Adamantine

Streak:

pink

Optical Properties of Sphaerocobaltite

Dichroism (e):

violet red.

Dichroism (w):

rose red.

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.051 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.076 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1764,KPDmeas= 0.1811,KC= 0.1908

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.6, w=1.885, bire=0.2850.

Calculated Properties of Sphaerocobaltite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.93 gm/cc
note: r_{Sphaerocobaltite}=4.10 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.0013
Boson Index = 0.9987

Photoelectric:

PE_{Sphaerocobaltite}= 17.04 barns/electron
U=PE_{Sphaerocobaltite} x r_electron= 66.98 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Sphaerocobaltite is Not Radioactive

Sphaerocobaltite Classification

Dana Class:

14.1.1.5 (14)Anhydrous Carbonates

(14.1)with Simple Formula A+ CO3

(14.1.1)Calcite Group (Trigonal: R3¯c)

14.1.1.1 Calcite CaCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.2 Magnesite MgCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.3 Siderite FeCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.4 Rhodochrosite MnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.5 Sphaerocobaltite CoCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.6 Smithsonite ZnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.7 Otavite CdCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.8 Gaspeite (Ni,Mg,Fe)CO3 R 3c 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

V/B.02-70 V - Nitrates, Carbonates and Borates

V/B - Waterfree carbonates [CO3]2- without unfamiliar anions

V/B.02 - Calcite group

V/B.02-10 Vaterite CaCO3 P 6₃/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m

V/B.02-20 Calcite CaCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-30 Magnesite MgCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-40 Siderite FeCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-50 Rhodochrosite MnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-60 Smithsonite ZnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-70 Sphaerocobaltite CoCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-80 Gaspeite (Ni,Mg,Fe)CO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-90 Otavite CdCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

Other Sphaerocobaltite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Sphaerocobaltite Specimen Label here :

Sphaerocobaltite

CoCO3
Dana No: 14.1.1.5 Strunz No: V/B.02-70
Locality:

Notes: