Smithsonite on Coronadite

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The combination of icy, colourless to white, frosted, seed-like Smithsonite crystals sat upon stalactitic Coronadite is unique to the mines at Broken Hill in Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia, and in particular the Broken Hill Proprietary mine. This cabinet-sized specimen displays this association extremely well, with individual Smithsonite crystals to 4 mm in length richly covering 60 to 70 percent of the stalactites on the front face. The rear of the specimen is largely free of Smithsonite. Internally, the Coronadite stalactites are seen to have commenced as orange-brown Goethite, later transitioning to dark grey Coronadite. There are several areas of damage on the front from where the Smithsonite and stalactites were joined to other stalactites, but overall this is a good sized displayable example of this Australian classic.