Erytherite (Sample #32)
Colour: A light purple pink, pink to red and colourless
Hardness: 1.5-2.0
Streak: Pinkish red
Luster: Pearly
Magnetic: No
Conductive: No
Cleavage: Perfect
Relative Density: 3.12
Distinguishing Characteristics: It is one of the few minerals that is a light purple pink and very soft.
Uses: It is often used as an indicator for silver mines. It is also one of the significant sources of cobalt which is used to make lithium batteries. The hydrodesulfurization of petroleum uses a catalyst derived from cobalt and molybdenum. This process helps to clean petroleum of sulfur impurities that interfere with the refining of liquid fuels.
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