Specifications
Description
Locality: Bou Azzer District, Ouarzazate Province, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco
Skutterudite is a cobalt arsenide, CoAs3, with some nickel and iron often taking the place of cobalt. It was named in 1845 for its type locality, the Skuterud mines at Modum in Norway. It is tin-white to silver-grey with a metallic lustre, often tarnishing grey or iridescent, and is heavy, with a density of about 6.5. Its crystals are cubic, growing as cubes, octahedra or dodecahedra.
The Bou Azzer district lies in Morocco's central Anti-Atlas, about 120 km southwest of Ouarzazate. Its cobalt, nickel and iron arsenide ores occur in a body of serpentinised Neoproterozoic ophiolite, a slice of ancient ocean floor, mostly along contacts between the serpentinite and harder rocks such as diorite. Geologists still debate when and how the ores formed.
According to the mining company Managem, the deposit was found after the French industrialist Jean Epinat saw arsenate minerals for sale in Marrakech's Jemaa el-Fna square in 1928. Local people used cobalt arsenate minerals against insects and rats. Artisanal mining began in 1932 and industrial mining in 1934, and Bou Azzer remains a cobalt mine today.
This one of a kind Skutterudite mineral specimen from Morocco features a bold metallic display face with dense silver-gray crystal coverage across a dark, rugged matrix. The specimen shows a mix of larger blocky to modified cubic Skutterudite crystals and smaller sparkling metallic growths, creating a highly reflective surface with flashes of bright silver and occasional warm brassy-gold highlights from associated minerals. Small white to translucent crystal pockets appear in several areas, adding contrast against the darker cobalt-rich matrix and giving the piece a strong, dramatic collector display.
Skutterudite is a cobalt arsenide mineral first named after the Skutterud mining district in Norway, one of its classic historical localities. It commonly forms in hydrothermal vein deposits associated with cobalt, nickel, arsenic, silver, and other metallic minerals. Moroccan Skutterudite specimens are most often associated with the Bou Azzer District, a world-famous cobalt mining region known for producing exceptional metallic arsenide minerals and striking cobalt-related specimens.
Spiritually, Skutterudite is often associated with grounding, protection, focus, and inner strength. Its dense metallic appearance gives it a powerful stabilizing presence, making it a mineral many collectors connect with resilience, discipline, and energetic shielding. It is often appreciated as a stone for staying centered, strengthening determination, and maintaining clarity during difficult or demanding periods.
Chemical Composition: CoAs3
Skutterudite is a cobalt arsenide (CoAs3) and contains arsenic. Handle with care, wash your hands after handling, do not lick or ingest, and keep away from children and pets.
Quantity: 1pc
With this product, you will get the actual stone in the photograph.