Safflorite

Safflorite is a mineral species belonging to the skutterudite group. It is an arsenide of cobalt and iron, with the chemical formula (Co, Fe)As2. The iron content is typically significant, distinguishing it from the end-member skutterudite (CoAs3) and smaltite (Ni, Co)As2. Safflorite crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system. It commonly forms granular to columnar aggregates, and sometimes as distinct crystals. Its color is typically pale steel-gray to silvery white, and it possesses a metallic luster. The streak of safflorite is black. It is a relatively hard mineral, with a Mohs hardness of around 6 to 6.5. Safflorite is an opaque mineral.

Safflorite is found in hydrothermal veins and in pegmatites, often associated with other cobalt and nickel minerals. It is typically found in association with minerals like smaltite, skutterudite, arsenopyrite, and chalcopyrite. Notable occurrences include places like Cobalt, Ontario, Canada; Schneeberg, Saxony, Germany; and various locations in Morocco. Due to its cobalt content, safflorite has been a minor source of cobalt ore. It is an important mineral for understanding the mineralogy of cobalt-rich ore deposits.