Smithsonite Var. Manganoan

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Manganoan smithsonite is a very rare varietal where the red color is caused by manganese, not by cobalt as in pink smithsonite from other finds and locales. The best of this material came from one pocket or zone in the mid 1980s, from Tsumeb, and is recognizable to a discerning eye by the sharp rhombohedral form, distinct red color, and matrix association. These are MUCH MUCH more rare than a similarly sized cobaltian smithsonite, which would typically not have such sharp rhombohedra. Here, the dominant crystal is 1.5 cm. It is a robust, colorful, complete all around thumbnail. From an old German collection.Joe Budd Photos