CUPRIAN Smithsonite - image 1
CUPRIAN Smithsonite - image 2
specimen video

CUPRIAN Smithsonite

$1,500.00

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Crystal Classics
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Tucson, Arizona, USA
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Smithsonite was found throughout all Tsumeb, from the supergene surface to deep into the third oxidation zone. It occurs in a dazzling array of colours due to traces of copper, cobalt, magnesium, or cadmium in the crystal lattice. In this lovely example it is copper which provides the delicious light and crisp apple-green colouration to all its crystals, a variety named Cuprian Smithsonite. The equant dodecahedral crystals average 4 to 6 mm across and are a uniform translucent light apple-green with a good glassy lustre. The mainly hidden matrix is one of micro-granular, cream Dolomite stained reddish-chocolate brown. An elegant and pretty, small miniature Cuprian Smithsonite.

Product details

Species
SmithsoniteAbout Smithsonite →
SizeMiniature
Dimensions3.4 x 4.3 x 2.1 cm
Listed on10/24/2024
Locality
Namibia, Oshikoto Region, TsumebRegional guide →
SKUCC20534

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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.