Cobalt(II) carbonate

Cobalt(II) carbonate is a chemical compound with the formula . It is a pink, slightly magnetic powder. It is part of the process used to make cobalt metal from ores. It is also used as a dye and also to make other chemicals called catalysts.Donaldson, John Dallas; Beyersmann, Detmar (2005). Cobalt(II) carbonate also is found as the rare red/pink mineral spherocobaltite.

 Preparation and structure 


Cobalt(II) carbonate is made by mixing liquid cobalt(II) sulfate with sodium bicarbonate:

This reaction is used to remove cobalt from a liquid made from its heated ores.

CoCO3 has a structure like calcite. The cobalt atoms are arranged in a shape called octahedral.

 Reactions 
Like most carbonates of transition metals, cobalt carbonate does not dissolve in water, but reacts easily with mineral acids:

It is used to make many cobalt coordination complexes. One notable complex made from cobalt(II) carbonate is tris(acetylacetonato)cobalt(III), made by reacting with acetylacetone and hydrogen peroxide.

When cobalt carbonate is heated, it behaves like most carbonates during calcining, but the product becomes partly oxidized.

The  can change back and forth into  at high temperatures.

 Uses 
Cobalt carbonate is used to make other cobalt compounds, including carbonyls and salts. It is added to dietary supplements because the body needs small amounts of cobalt. It is also used to make blue paint for pottery, especially in Delftware.

 Related compounds 
There are at least two known cobalt(II) carbonate-hydroxides,  and .

Spherocobaltite is a somewhat rare natural form of cobalt carbonate. Good samples are found in the Republic of Congo. "Cobaltocalcite" is a type of calcite that contains cobalt. It looks very similar to spherocobaltite."Spherocobaltite: Spherocobaltite mineral information and data". 

Sodium tris(carbonato)cobalt(III) is a chemical made of cobalt in the +3 oxidation state. It has three carbonate groups attached to the cobalt. This compound is an example of a cobalt(III) coordination complex, where cobalt is connected to other molecules called ligands.

 Safety 
Scientists have rarely seen how toxic cobalt carbonate is. Animals, including humans, need small amounts of cobalt, which is part of vitamin B12.

 References 

Category:Carbonates
Category:Cobalt compounds
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