Skutterudite
“Cobalt arsenide with thermoelectric potential”
Skutterudite is a cobalt-nickel arsenide mineral with a distinctive metallic luster and cubic crystal structure. Beyond being a cobalt ore, its crystal structure has an unusual 'cage' arrangement that has made synthetic skutterudite-type compounds leading candidates for thermoelectric power generation.
cobalt arsenide (CoAs₃), commonly with nickel and iron substitution
Skuterud (Norway — type locality), Bou Azzer (Morocco), Cobalt (Ontario, Canada), Tunaberg (Sweden), Schneeberg (Germany)
5.5-6
Engineers are designing skutterudite-based thermoelectric generators to convert waste heat directly into electricity — NASA has studied them for powering deep-space probes, and automotive companies are testing them to recapture engine heat.
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