What is Erythrite?
Erythrite is a hydrated cobalt arsenate famous for vivid crimson to pink coatings and rosettes in oxidised cobalt-arsenic deposits.
Mineralogy and structure
Reference formula: Co3(AsO4)2·8H2O. Erythrite is soft, hydrated and arsenic-bearing. Its colour is striking, but the mineral should be identified and handled as a protected scientific specimen.
Colour and appearance
Typical colours include carmine red, pink, purple-red. The usual rosette, crusty, prismatic habit and vitreous, pearly lustre are useful descriptive features, but colour alone is not diagnostic.
Formation and localities
Erythrite forms in or is associated with secondary oxidation zones of cobalt- and nickel-bearing arsenide veins. Important documented localities include Morocco, Germany, Canada, France, the Czech Republic and Mexico.
Collecting and care
Display only, keep dry and avoid dust, grinding or prolonged skin contact; wash hands after handling and store labelled.
Erythrite in popular symbolism
Modern crystal guides sometimes associate Erythrite with symbolic themes based on colour or collecting tradition. These associations are cultural interpretations, not mineralogical or medical properties.
