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Smithsonite

$3,000.00

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Crystal Classics
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Tucson, Arizona, USA
7,543 for sale·132 sold
A stunning and fascinating specimen of Smithsonite from the Tsumeb mine in Namibia. The elongated, rhombohedral crystals average 5 mm long, are semi-transparent, colourless and cover the upper face of a long-narrow mixed sulphide matrix. Traversing across and along the specimen, the Smithsonite crystals gradually grade from colourless to mustard-orange rhombohedral phantoms, aligned within the colourless rhombohedral tip of the elongated form. Under low magnification these are exquisite. The length of each phantom gradually increases across the specimen until the whole of each individual Smithsonite crystal is fully occupied with a large phantom. An unusual specimen and a nice addition to any Tsumeb collection.

Product details

Species
SmithsoniteAbout Smithsonite →
SizeSmall Cabinet
Dimensions4.6 x 8.4 x 3.7 cm
Listed on10/24/2024
Locality
Namibia, Oshikoto Region, TsumebRegional guide →
SKUCC10523

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Smithsonite
Mineral guide
Learn about Smithsonite
ZnCO3 with botryoidal and crystalline forms, silky to vitreous luster, pastel hues from cobalt to yellow; localities boost collecting appeal.
Smithsonite
Regional guide
Smithsonite from Tsumeb, Namibia
is one of the defining collector minerals of Tsumeb: not merely because it is common there, but because Tsumeb turns a usually massive or botryoidal zinc carbonate into a locality signature mineral with uncommon crystal variety, depth of color, and association. Tsumeb smithsonite spans the familiar apple-greens and blue-greens of copper-bearing material, soft pink to violet-pink cobaltoan and manganoan-looking rhombs, yellow-brown and chocolate-brown iron-rich crystals, pale grey to white crusts, colorless to translucent rhombs, and rare red-pink material from the deeper oxidized workings. The best specimens combine sharp rhombohedral or scalenohedral crystals with the sculptural mineralogical theater for which Tsumeb is famous: galena-rich sulfide matrix, sugary dolomite, black tennantite and pyrite ore, cerussite, mimetite, malachite, wulfenite, duftite, dioptase, and willemite.