Skutterudite

specimen number:
2262316

location:
Bou Azzer, Morocco

description:
Bright metallic crystals of skutterudite across the top of matrix. In good condition.

The Bou Azzer mining district, located in the central Anti-Atlas Mountains of Morocco, is a globally important and distinct producer of cobalt, nickel, and precious metals. Geologically, the deposit is unique as the only place in the world where cobalt arsenides are extracted directly from an ophiolite complex, specifically a Neoproterozoic-age mantle sequence composed of serpentinized peridotites. Tectonic deformation and subsequent hydrothermal activity along fault zones led to the deposition of massive arsenide minerals, primarily skutterudite, safflorite, and loellingite, which are hosted within quartz-carbonate vein networks along the margins of the serpentinite bodies. Historically, the presence of cobalt was first detected in 1928 when erythrite (cobalt bloom) was noticed in a local market, leading to the formal discovery of the primary outcropping deposits by French geologists in 1930. Industrial underground shaft operations and localized surface quarrying commenced in 1932 under the management of the corporate entity ONA, later becoming part of the Managem Group. The mining complex has maintained continuous, highly mechanized production for nearly a century, with major expansions occurring through the late 1900s and early 2000s to extract high-grade cobalt ore alongside significant byproducts of nickel and gold, establishing the facility as a critical global supplier with active extraction operations continuing through 2026.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.