COBALTITE

cobaltite, a mineral with the composition coass, cobalt sulpharsenide. it is found as granular to compact masses, and frequently as beautifully developed crystals, which have the same symmetry as the isomorphous mineral pyrites, being cubic with parallel hemihedrism. the usual forms are the cube, octahedron and pentagonal dodecahedron {210}. the colour is silver-white with a reddish tinge, and the lustre brilliant and metallic, hence the old name cobalt-glance; the streak is greyish-black. the mineral is brittle, and possesses distinct cleavages parallel to the faces of the cube; hardness 51⁄2; specific gravity 6.2. the brilliant crystals from tunaberg in sodermanland and hakansboda in vestmanland, sweden, and from skutterud near drammen in norway are well known in mineral collections. the cobalt ores at these localities occur with pyrites and chalcopyrite as bands in gneiss. crystals have also been found at khetri in rajputana, and under the name _sehta_ the mineral is used by indian jewellers for producing a blue enamel on gold and silver ornaments. massive cobaltite has been found in small amount in the botallack mine, cornwall. a variety containing much iron replacing cobalt, and known as ferrocobaltite (ger. _stahlkobalt_), occurs at siegen in westphalia. (l. j. s.) coban, or santo domingo de coban, the capital of the department of alta vera paz in central guatemala; about 90 m. n. of the city of guatemala, on the cojabon, a left-hand tributary of the polochic. pop. (1905) about 31,000. the town is built in a mountainous and fertile district, and consists chiefly of adobe indian cottages, surrounded by gardens of flowering shrubs. more modern houses have been erected for the foreign residents, among whom the germans are numerically predominant. in the chief square of the town stands a 16th-century dominican church, externally plain, but covered internally with curious indian decorations. the municipal offices, formerly a college for priests, are remarkable for their handsome but disproportionately large gateway in renaissance style. despite the want of a railway, coban has a flourishing trade in coffee and cinchona; cocoa, vanilla and sugar-cane are also cultivated, and there are manufactures of rum, cotton fabrics, soap and cigars. the prosperity of the town is largely due to the industry of the quecchi, kacchi or kakchi indians who form the majority of the inhabitants. coban was founded in the 16th century by dominican monks under fray pedro de angulo, whose portrait is preserved in the church. in honour of the emperor charles v. (1500-1558), coban received the name of _ciudad imperial_ (which soon became obsolete), together with a coat of arms and other privileges belonging to a spanish city of the first class.