Cadmium Smithsonite on Galena - image 1
Cadmium Smithsonite on Galena - image 2
specimen video

Cadmium Smithsonite on Galena

$6,500.00

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Crystal Classics
Crystal ClassicsFeatured
Tucson, Arizona, USA
7,543 for sale·132 sold
Wow, look at this Smithsonite glow! The orange, cadmium-bearing variety of Smithsonite is rarely seen as well-defined crystals anywhere in the world, except for Tsumeb. Even then it is extremely rare in high class specimens like this. In fact I would describe this specimen as sensational. Sat upon a partially oxidized but sturdy Galena base the Smithsonite developed initially as a thin crust but expanded outwards into some extremely sizable and perfectly formed rhombic crystals. The largest, at 2.5 cm in length, is colossal, but most are in the 5 to 8 mm size range. In common with most cadmium Smithsonite from Tsumeb mine, the initial Smithsonite is white to colourless indicating a relatively pure zinc carbonate with the orange colour developing later towards the edges of the crystals. This transition has produced a magical colour zonation within the crystals on this specimen, adding to its class. Furthermore, light transmits through the orange tips to produce a wonderful glow. At cabinet specimen in size, this specimen displays superbly well in several orientations. There is one small area where a crystal is missing but all of the crystals on display are in excellent condition. A truly stunning Tsumeb Smithsonite from the generations-old Weyand collection.

Product details

Species
Smithsonite, GalenaAbout Smithsonite →
SizeSmall Cabinet
Dimensions8.3 x 7.5 x 5.3 cm
Listed on11/27/2025
Locality
Namibia, Oshikoto Region, TsumebRegional guide →
SKUCC52456

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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.