Cobalt

Lovely cobalt is number 27 on the periodic table and Co is the symbol.  Unfortunately pure cobalt does not exist in nature, but rather compounds of cobalt.  The main way to get cobalt compounds is through the by-product of copper and nickel mining.  Cobalt compounds has been used way back dating to 1400 B.C.  There have also been other sources that say cobalt compounds are used earlier.  

Compounds of cobalt are used in glasses and glazes for its color; blue.  Even though cobalt compounds were in use in the past, Georg Brandt, a Swedish chemist was the one to analyze the dark blue pigment in copper ore; therefore; discovering this new element in 1735.  Both copper and cobalt are blue, but cobalt is a deeper blue and Brandt showed this.  Copper and cobalt were confused for each other in the past.  Before George Brandt, cobalt was known as kobold ore, meaning goblin or evil spirit,  to miners.  Some of the products that use cobalt are glass, pottery, glazes, ceramics, paints, superalloys, and other things.

Unfortunately this compound was given a negative name due to the damages a person will receive when mining for compounds of cobalt and the difficulty obtaining them.  When the mineral is being smelted, offensive gas is given off leading to illness.  The gas is arsenic trioxide.  This element is rather abundant, around 10-30 parts per million.  Some common ores of cobalt are chloranthite, linnaeite, and smaltite and the largest suppliers in the world are Zambia, Zaire, Russia, Cuba, and Canada.  

Cobalt is found in the human body and plants in minute amounts, meaning that cobalt is a trace mineral.  There are consequences if a trace mineral is absent.  For example, certain essential enzymes will not be made because cobalt is needed to make those enzymes.  Take Vitamin B12 as an example of an essential item that is needed as humans.  Vitamin B12 would not be in production if there is a lack of cobalt, and with a lack of vitamin B12, there will not be enough red blood cells produced.  Cobalt does not just affect humans, a lack of cobalt in the environment, soil for example, causes sheep to get Coast disease.  Health problems will also occur if cobalt is in excess.  For the people who handle cobalt are in direct access to cobalt dust.  This may cause breathing problems, diarrhea, rashes, and vomiting.

  MSDS Sheet of Cobalt

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