COBALT AND NICKEL. 187 



Asbolite.— Earthy Cobalt. Black Cobalt Oxide. 



Earthy, massive. Color black or blue-black. Soluble in 

 muriatic acid, with an evolution of fumes of chlorine. 



Obs. Occurs in an earthy state mixed with oxide of man- 

 ganese as a bog ore, or secondary product. Abundant at 

 Mine La Motte, Missouri, and also near Silver Bluff, South 

 Carolina. The analyses vary in the proportion of oxide of 

 cobalt associated with the manganese, as the compound is a 

 mere mixture. Sulphide of cobalt occurs with the oxide. 

 The Carolina ores afforded Cobalt oxide 24, manganese 

 oxide 76. The ore from Missouri, as analyzed by Prof. 

 Silliman, afforded 40 per cent, of cobalt oxide, with oxides 

 of nickel, manganese, iron and copper. 



This ore has been found abroad in France, Germany, 

 Austria, and England. 



The ore is purified and made into smalt, for the arts. 



Erythrite. — Cobalt Bloom. Hydrous Cobalt Arsenate. 



Monoclinic. In oblique crystals having a highly perfect 

 cleavage, like mica ; laminaB flexible in one direction. Also 

 as an incrustation, and in reniform shapes, sometimes stel- 

 late. 



Color, peach-red, crimson-red, rarely grayish or greenish ; 

 streak a little paler, the dry powder lavender-blue. Lustre 

 of laminaB pearly ; earthy varieties without lustre. Trans- 

 parent to subtranslu cent. H. =1*5-2. G. =2.95. 



Composition. Co 3 8 As 2 + 8aq= Arsenic acid 38*4, oxide 

 of cobalt 37 '6, water 24*0. B.B. on charcoal gives arsen- 

 ical fumes and fuses ; yields a blue glass with borax. 



The earthy ore is sometimes called peach-blossom ore, from 

 its color; and also red cobalt ochre. KUtigite is a kind 

 containing zinc. 



Diff. .Resembles red antimony, but that species wholly 

 volatilizes before the blowpipe. From red copper ore it 

 differs in giving a blue glass with borax ; moreover, the 

 color of the copper ore is more sombre. 



Obs. Occurs with ores of lead and silver, and other co- 

 balt ores. Schneeberg, in Saxony; Saalfield, in Thuringia ; 

 and Riechelsdorf, in Hessia, are noted European localities. 

 It is found also in Dauphiny, Cornwall, and Cumberland. 



Valuable as an ore of cobalt when abundant. 



