Bieberite
Bieberite (CoSO4 · 7H2O) is a pinkish red colored sulfate mineral high in cobalt content. The name is derived from the type locality at the copper deposit in Bieber, Hesse, Germany. It has been described and reported as far back as the 1700s. Bieberite primarily occurs as a secondary mineral, forming in cobalt-bearing arsenide and sulfide deposits through oxidation.
| Bieberite | |
|---|---|
A 4.4 by 2.7 cm mass of mainly grey bismuth covered by a thin film of pinkish bieberite from an old classic Locality, Schlema, Schlema-Hartenstein District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany | |
| General | |
| Category | Sulfate mineral |
| Formula (repeating unit) | CoSO4·7H2O |
| IMA symbol | Bie |
| Strunz classification | 7.CB.35 |
| Dana classification | 29.6.10.4 |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic |
| Crystal class | Prismatic (2/m) |
| Space group | P2/m |
| Identification | |
| Color | Rose-red, red-pink, flesh-red |
| Crystal habit | Crusts, stalactites |
| Cleavage | {001} perfect, {110} fair |
| Mohs scale hardness | 2 |
| Luster | Vitreous |
| Diaphaneity | Subtransparent |
| Specific gravity | 1.96 |
| Density | 1.96 (measured), 1.83 (calculated) |
| Optical properties | Biaxial (+), colorless to pale rose color (transmitted light) |
| 2V angle | 88° (measured), 88° (calculated) |
| Solubility | Soluble in water |
| References | |
Natural bieberite crystals may have a small amount of cobalt lattice sites instead occupied by magnesium and copper (Palache et al., 1960).
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