Cuprian Smithsonite with Duftite and Cerussite - image 1

Cuprian Smithsonite with Duftite and Cerussite

Unknown Owner
A lovely specimen of blocky rhombohedral apple green smithsonite with scattered brighter green duftite interspersed. There are several minor cerussite crystals scattered across the specimen some which are quite gemmy. Part of the Dan Zellner smithsonite collection.

Product details

Species
Smithsonite, Duftite, CerussiteAbout Smithsonite →
SizeSmall Cabinet
Dimensions6.7 x 5.5 x 4.3 cm
Added on11/06/2024
Locality
Namibia, Oshikoto Region, TsumebRegional guide →

Known provenance

DateCollectorAcquisition price
10/2025Unknown OwnerNot disclosed
—DanZ RockshopNot disclosed

Learn more

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.