Bieberite - Encyclopedia
Class : Sulphates, chromates, molybdates
Subclass : Anhydrous sulphates
Crystal System : Monoclinic
Chemistry : CoSO4 7H2O
Rarity : Very rare
Bieberite is an extremely rare hydrated cobalt sulphate, with the same crystalline structure as melanterite. It owes its name to its place of discovery : Bieber, Hesse, Germany. It forms red-pink or pale purple coatings and spherolites in the oxidation zone of cobalt deposits.
Main photo : Bieberite from Torgal Mine, Beja, Portugal © Pedro Alves
Bieberite in the World
Twinning and special crystallizations
No known twin known for this mineral species.
Fakes and treatments
No fake or treatment recorded for this mineral species.
Hardness : 2
Density : 1.96
Fracture : Irregular
Trace : White
TP : Translucent to opaque
RI : 1.477 to 1.489
Birefringence : 0,012
Optical character : Biaxial -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None
Solubility : Water
Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None