Skutterudite

               The rock I had to do research on is a rock called
Skutterudite. It is a white or light steel gray color and is composed or made of arsenic and cobalt. When you streak it on a streak board it comes out a black streak. When tested, it's hardness is from 5.5 to 6.0 and it's specific gravity is from 6.1 to 6.9. It is found in such places as Iran, Germany, Canada, Morocco, Colorado, Arizona (USA).
 

       Its name comes from one of its famous locals, Skutterrude, Norway. It is a metallic luster with no luminescence. You find it in hydrothermal, or hot water veins, and in places where temperatures are medium to high. Its chemical name is written (CoNI) As3. Its fumes smell highly of garlic when heated. Therefore, heating is not recommended. Skutterudite is associated with arsenopyrite, silver, bismuth, calcite. When cut or fractured it shows a conchoidal nature, which means that it shows curved elevations.

            Named after its locality, Smalitite( which is a synonym for Skutterudite) which is in reference to smalt, the deep blue glaze which occurs when this rock is pulverized or heated to a liquid form. This blue pigment( cobalt blue) is then used to color such things as glass or jewelry.
 
 

  <<    one picture of skutterudite

Two other web sites for rocks and minerals are:

1. The Image

2. Adam's mineral


Back                                       Rock Project                                       Home