Smithsonite

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Aesthetic botryoidal crystals of Smithsonite forming intergrown mamillated druses are a trademark species and habit of the ancient historic mines on the Attica Peninsula in southern Greece. As is often the case with such specimens they are labelled as the Lavrion District, but more specifically these Smithsonites are probably from the nearby and inland mining town of Kamariza, now renamed Agios Konstantinos. This compact little miniature packs a lot of punch for its size, beautifully displaying three hemispherical Smithsonite crystals of blueish tinted moonstone-grey with a delicate silky lustre. The crystals measure between 1.7 and 2 cm in diameter and snugly nestle in an iron-rich hard gossan, itself pervaded and cemented by massive cryptocrystalline Smithsonite of the same colour. The botryoidal mounds are surrounded by tiny white ant-egg or rice-grain habit Smithsonite crystals and a powdery pale lavender crust. A choice Smithsonite from the Lavrion District Mines in Attik' Prefecture, Greece and ex. the Dr Josef Clemente Collection.