erythrite
Noun: 1. A mineral: A naturally occurring, reddish-colored mineral. Its chemical composition is a hydrated cobalt arsenate (Co₃(AsO₄)₂·8H₂O). It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system. It is a secondary mineral, typically formed from the alteration of other cobalt-bearing minerals. 2. A source of pigment: Historically valued as an ore of cobalt and used to impart a blue color to glass and ceramics.
Erythrite is primarily a technical term used in the fields of geology, mineralogy, and the history of pigment production. * The geologist identified the pink crust on the rock as erythrite, indicating the presence of cobalt. * Erythrite, also known as "cobalt bloom," is often used as a field indicator for cobalt-bearing veins.
- As an indicator mineral: In mining geology, the presence of erythrite on the surface is a visual clue (a "bloom") that suggests underlying deposits of cobalt and arsenic ores.
- Prospectors often searched for the distinctive pink erythrite bloom to locate valuable cobalt veins.
- Cobalt bloom: A common synonym for erythrite, referring to its flower-like (bloom) crusts and its cobalt content.
- Cobalt bloom (mineralogy)
The word "erythrite" is specific to mineralogy. It should not be confused with terms from biology or chemistry that begin with the prefix "erythr-" (meaning red), such as "erythrocyte" (red blood cell).
- a reddish mineral consisting of hydrated cobalt arsenate in monoclinic crystalline form and used in coloring glass; usually found in veins bearing cobalt and arsenic