SKUTTERUDITE

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This is a rare well-crystallized specimen of the cobalt arsenide mineral Skutterudite from the Daniel mine at Neustädtel, Schneeberg District - not to be confused with other Daniel mines in the same Erzgebirge region in Saxony, Germany. I say 'rare' because I simply have not been able to find any images of other specimens from there, but it is an known producer. The Daniel mine at Neustädtel is an old mine, with drawings from the 19th century, and it is also the Type Locality for Safflorite, another cobalt arsenide, named in 1835 but containing nickel and iron. It is unclear whether this specimen might also contain Safflorite, but we have not had it analysed, and there are also apparently no images of Safflorite from there. The specimen is itself nicely crystallized. Miniature in size, it consists of silvery grey rounded aggregates of Skutterudite some of which, where protected within cavities, are covered in sharply formed bright metallic crystals. These crystals do not appear to be cubic - like Skutterudite - but whether they are orthorhombic like Safflorite is unclear. An interesting, and undoubtedly old specimen. Show more