Moorhouseite

Moorhouseite is a rare mineral with the formula CoSO₄•6H₂O, a naturally occurring cobalt(II) sulfate hexahydrate. It is the lower-hydrate-equivalent of bieberite (heptahydrate) and aplowite (hexahydrate). It is also hydrated equivalent of cobaltkieserite. It occurs together with moorhouseite within efflorescences found in the Magnet Cove Barium Corporation mine in Walton, Nova Scotia, Canada.^[6][7]

Moorhouseite
General
Category	Sulfate mineral
Formula	CoSO4•6H2O
IMA symbol	Mh[1]
Strunz classification	7.CB.25
Crystal system	Monoclinic
Crystal class	Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol)
Space group	C2/c
Unit cell	a = 10.03, b = 7.23, c = 24.26 [Å], β=98.37o (approximated); Z = 8
Identification
Color	Pink
Crystal habit	granular; in crusts and efflorescences
Fracture	Conchoidal
Mohs scale hardness	2.5
Luster	Vitreous
Streak	White
Density	1.97-2.02 (measured)
Common impurities	Ni, Mn, Cu, Fe
References	[2][3][4][5]

Notes on chemistry

Relatively high amounts of nickel and manganese were reported, with trace amounts of copper and iron.^[8]

Crystal structure

Analysis of synthetic analogue of moorhouseite revealed, that its structure may be described as containing:^[9]

• Co(H₂O)₆ octahedra, forming alternate layers
• SO₄ tetrahedra
• hydrogen bonds (two per a single water molecule)