WGNHS
Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey

Safflorite

Silvery safflorite crystals on matrix. From the Chapelle Mine, Nichol Township, Cobalt-Gowganda region, Ontario, Canada. Field of view is 3.5 x 3.0 x 2.0 cm in size. (Image courtesy Margaret Wilson; unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.)

Formula: (Co,Fe,Ni)As2 Orthorhombic

Description:

Safflorite is a rare gray metallic mineral forming prismatic to radially fibrous crystals in hydrothermal veins. It is characteristically associated with minerals bearing cobalt, nickel or arsenic such as cobaltite and arsenopyrite.

LAFAYETTE COUNTY: Safflorite is reported as a rare primary mineral in the zinc-lead ore bodies of the Belmont and Calamine Districts (Klemic and West, 1964).