Glaucodot

Glaucodot Locality: HĂ¥kansboda, Lindesberg, Västmanland, Sweden Dimensions: 3.3 cm x 2.7 cm x 2.6 cm Photo Copyright © Rob Lavinsky & irocks

Chemical Formula: (Co,Fe)AsS
Locality: In Sweden, at Hakansbo, Vastmanland, as large twinned and untwinned crystals.
Name Origin: From the Greek for “blue,” in reference to its use in the dark blue glass called smalt.

Glaucodot is a cobalt iron arsenic sulfide mineral with formula: (Co,Fe)AsS. The cobalt:iron(II) ratio is typically 3:1 with minor nickel substituting. It forms a series with arsenopyrite (FeAsS). It is an opaque grey to tin-white typically found as massive forms without external crystal form. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system. The locality at HĂ¥kansboda, Sweden has rare twinned dipyramidal crystals . It is brittle with a Mohs hardness of 5 and a specific gravity of 5.95. It occurs in high temperature hydrothermal deposits with pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite. Glaucodot is classed as a sulfide in the arsenopyrite löllingite group.

Glaucodot was first described in 1849 in Huasco, ValparaĂ­so Province, Chile. Its name originates from the Greek γλανκός (“blue”) in reference to its use in the dark blue glass called smalt.

Physical Properties

Cleavage: {010} Perfect, {101} Distinct
Color: Grayish tin white, Reddish silver white.
Density: 5.9 – 6.01, Average = 5.95
Diaphaneity: Opaque
Fracture: Brittle – Uneven – Very brittle fracture producing uneven fragments.
Hardness: 5 – Apatite
Luminescence: Non-fluorescent.
Luster: Metallic
Streak: black

Photos :

HĂ¥kansboda, Lindesberg, Västmanland, Sweden © Rob Lavinsky
Glaucodot Location: Hakansboda, Vastmanland, Sweden. Copyright: © Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals