Safflorite

{{Short description|Mineral}}

{{Infobox mineral

| name = Safflorite

| boxwidth =

| boxbgcolor =

| image = Safflorite and Calcite3 - Bouismas Mine, Bou Azzer, Tazenakht, Ouarzazate, Souss-Massa-Draa, Morocco.jpg

| imagesize = 260px

| alt =

| caption = Safflorite and calcite from Morocco

| category = Arsenide mineral

| formula = {{chem2|(Co,Fe)As2}}

| IMAsymbol = Saf{{Cite journal|last=Warr|first=L.N.|date=2021|title=IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols|journal=Mineralogical Magazine|volume=85|issue=3 |pages=291–320|doi=10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |bibcode=2021MinM...85..291W |s2cid=235729616 |doi-access=free}}

| molweight =

| strunz = 2.EB.15a

| dana =

| system = Orthorhombic

| class = Dipyramidal (mmm)
H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)

| symmetry = Pnnm

| unit cell = a = 5.173 Å, b = 5.954 Å
c = 2.999 Å; Z = 2

| color = Tin white, tarnishes to gray

| colour =

| habit = Prismatic crystals, massive to fibrous

| twinning = Forms cruciform penetration twins

| cleavage = Distinct on {100}

| fracture = Uneven to conchoidal

| tenacity = Brittle

| mohs = 4.5–5.5

| luster = Metallic

| streak = Grayish black

| diaphaneity = Opaque

| gravity = 6.9–7.3

| density =

| polish =

| opticalprop =

| refractive =

| birefringence =

| pleochroism =

| 2V =

| dispersion =

| extinction =

| length fast/slow =

| fluorescence =

| absorption =

| melt =

| fusibility =

| diagnostic =

| solubility =

| impurities =

| alteration =

| other =

| prop1 =

| prop1text =

| references = [http://www.handbookofmineralogy.com/pdfs/safflorite.pdf Handbook of Mineralogy][http://www.mindat.org/show.php?id=3500&ld=1&pho= Safflorite on Mindat.org][http://webmineral.com/data/Safflorite.shtml Safflorite on Webmineral]

}}

Safflorite is a rare cobalt iron arsenide mineral with the chemical formula {{chem2|(Co,Fe)As2}}. Pure safflorite is {{chem2|CoAs2}}, but iron is virtually always present. Safflorite is a member of the three-way substitution series of arsenides known as the loellingite group. More than fifty percent iron makes the mineral loellingite whereas more than fifty percent nickel and the mineral is rammelsbergite. A parallel series of antimonide minerals exist.

Safflorite along with the other minerals crystallize in the orthorhombic system forming opaque gray to white massive to radiating forms, Clinosafflorite has a monoclinic symmetry. It has a mohs hardness of 4.5 and a specific gravity of 6.9 to 7.3. Twinning is common and star shaped twins are frequently found.

File:Safflorite-Lollingite-Rammelsbergite-55551.jpg

It was first described in 1835 from the Schneeberg District, Ore Mountains, Germany. Safflorite occurs with other arsenide minerals as an accessory in silver mining districts. It alters to the arsenate erythrite in the secondary environment.

{{commons category|Safflorite}}

{{clear|left}}