Smithsonite - image 1

Smithsonite

Unknown Owner
This is one of my favorite specimen in the inventory at the moment. Those of you who know me well know I collect smithsonite. I can say as a collector this Kelly Mine specimen is simply superb. The botryoidal form of the isolated balls on matrix is what every smithsonite collector dreams of. The luster is top notch for the locality, it simply can’t get better. The piece seems to glow and glisten with blue bubbles. There is even a single ball that is nicely isolated on the back side of the specimen! Definitely the best Kelly Smithsonite I have ever had pass through my hands. From the well known J.R. Jelks Collection

Product details

Species
SmithsoniteAbout Smithsonite →
SizeCabinet
Dimensions12.7 x 5.1 x 4.7 cm
Added on03/26/2025
Locality
USA, New Mexico, Kelly MineRegional guide →

Known provenance

DateCollectorAcquisition price
09/2025Unknown OwnerNot disclosed
—DanZ RockshopNot disclosed

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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 Kelly Mine, New Mexico, USA
Kelly Mine smithsonite is one of the defining American classics: rounded, grape-like masses of blue to blue-green zinc carbonate with a glow that can look less like a mineral surface than a pool of frozen water. The best pieces are the famous “Kelly blue” specimens—translucent, lustrous botryoidal crusts and spheroids, often with pale internal banding visible along broken edges or natural windows. Fine examples combine color, luster, depth, and undamaged rolling form in a way that makes them instantly recognizable across a room.