Native cobalt is an exceptionally rare element mineral usually found in hydrothermal veins associated with nickel and silver ores. It typically appears as metallic, silver-gray masses or granular aggregates rather than well-defined crystals, and is primarily sought by advanced mineral collectors.
Is this cobalt?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch cobalt with a known reference. Cobalt sits at Mohs 5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Cobalt leaves a steel gray streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Cobalt typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: silver-white, grayish.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: massive, granular, or reniform.
Often confused with
Cobalt vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Cobalt is noticeably harder (Mohs 5 vs. 4); streak differs — Cobalt leaves steel gray, Nickel leaves metallic gray.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Cobalt leaves steel gray, Iron leaves gray.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Cobalt leaves steel gray, Skutterudite leaves black.
Often found alongside cobalt
Minerals reported to co-occur with cobalt. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Co
- Mohs hardness
- 5
- Density
- 8.9 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Steel Gray
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive, Granular, Or Reniform
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Industrial, Collector, Alloy Production
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins
- Typical price
- $50-500 depending on specimen quality
Where rockhounds find cobalt
4 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Bou Azzer, Morocco
- Kongsberg, Norway
- Schneeberg, Germany
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins country — that is the host setting where cobalt typically forms. If you start seeing arsenopyrite, silver, bismuth in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive, granular, or reniform habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find cobalt on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
