Skutterudite

The Alberoda uranium mining district is situated 30 km southwest of Chemnitz and about the same distance north west of the border with the Czech Republic.  Germany is rich in uranium and mining activity has been widespread to supply increased demand.  Such deposits are frequently rich in other minerals and Skutterudite is but one example.  Skutterudite is a cobalt arsenide and occurs in this small miniature as both massive and crystallised habits pervading a sparse light salmon pink Dolomite matrix.  The crystallised surface, measuring roughly 3.5 x 1 cm, is richly coated with bright metallic silver Skutterudite crystals as cuboctahedrons and modified cuboctahedrons.