Skutterudite with Calcite and Quartz - Specimen

Locality: Bou Azzer District, Ouarzazate Province, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco

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.

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.

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 with Calcite and Quartz mineral specimen from Morocco features bright metallic silver-gray Skutterudite set against a dark, rugged matrix. The specimen shows several reflective metallic crystal faces with a steel-like lustre, alongside white to translucent Calcite and Quartz crystals growing through the centre and around the edges. The Calcite adds blocky to irregular pale crystal growth, while the Quartz appears in clearer prismatic clusters, creating a strong contrast between the metallic Skutterudite, the lighter secondary minerals, and the darker host rock.

Skutterudite is a cobalt arsenide mineral first described from Skutterud, Norway, which is where its name originates. It belongs to the cobalt-nickel arsenide mineral group and commonly forms in hydrothermal vein deposits with Calcite, Quartz, and other metallic minerals. Morocco is an important source of cobalt-bearing minerals, especially from the Bou Azzer mining district, where Skutterudite is often found with carbonate and silica minerals in complex vein systems.

Spiritually, Skutterudite is often associated with grounding, strength, focus, and energetic protection. Calcite is commonly linked with clarity and steady personal growth, while Quartz is often associated with balance and the amplification of intention. Together, these minerals are sometimes viewed as a combination for practical thinking, stability, and staying centred during demanding situations.

Chemical Composition: Calcite: CaCO3, Quartz: SiO2, Skutterudite: 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.