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, so Cobalt leaves steel gray, Nickel leaves metallic gray.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Cobalt leaves steel gray, Iron leaves gray.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so 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, 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.
More cobalt photos
Common questions
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Find cobalt on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
