Cobalt abundance but natural compounds of cobalt are numerous and all amounts of cobalt compounds are found in most rocks, soil, plants, and animals. In nature, cobalt is frequently associated with nickel. Both are characteristic components of meteoric iron, though cobalt is much less abundant in iron meteorites than nickel. As with nickel, cobalt in meteoric iron alloys may have been well enough protected from oxygen and moisture to remain as the free (but alloyed) metal, though neither element is seen in that form in the ancient terrestrial crust. Cobalt in compound form occurs in copper and nickel minerals. It is
Cobalt sulfide Cobalt sulfide Cobalt sulfide is the name for chemical compounds with a formula CoS. Well-characterized species include minerals with the formula CoS, CoS, CoS, and CoS. In general, the sulfides of cobalt are black, semiconducting, insoluble in water, and nonstoichiometric. Cobalt sulfides occur widely as minerals, comprising major sources of all cobalt compounds. Binary cobalt sulfide minerals include the cattierite (CoS) and linnaeite (CoS). CoS (see image in table) is isostructural with iron pyrite, featuring disulfide groups, i.e. CoS. Linnaeite, also rare, adopts the spinel motif. The CoS compound is known as a very rare cobaltpentlandite (the Co analogue of