Cobaltoan Smithsonite on Tennantite - image 1
Cobaltoan Smithsonite on Tennantite - image 2
specimen video

Cobaltoan Smithsonite on Tennantite

$3,500.00

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Crystal Classics
Crystal ClassicsFeatured
Tucson, Arizona, USA
7,543 for sale·132 sold
This cabinet-sized specimen is a magnificent presentation of the well-known, but rare combination of Smithsonite coating perfect tetrahedral Tennantite crystals known from Tsumeb mine. The Tennantite crystals reach an impressive 3 cm on edge and are exceptionally well-formed - forming a bed of large intergrown tetrahedral crystals. The Smithsonite presents a pale pinkish colour, indicating that it is slightly cobaltoan, and is extremely well-crystallized but as very small crystals. These crystals form a complete, but relatively thin crust upon the Tennantite and could be described as epimorphous, but the Tennantite is still present underneath rather than as an epimorphic cast. The underside of the specimen is pure sulphosalt (Tennantite) and sulphide (Galena). The specimen presents superbly well with only slight damage to the tip of one of the tetrahedral crystals, with the internal Tennantite now showing through. It really is a marvellous example of this classic Tsumeb assemblage and has been hidden for generations within the Weyand collection in Tsumeb. On a technical note, Tennantite is now a subgroup rather than an indvidual species in its own right. We have not analysed this specimen, but it is generally accepted that the majority of Tsumeb specimens are the new species Tennantite-(Zn). This fits perfectly with the outer coating of Smithsonite - a zinc-bearing secondary species.

Product details

Species
Smithsonite, Galena, TennantiteAbout Smithsonite →
SizeSmall Cabinet
Dimensions9.1 x 8.0 x 3.5 cm
Listed on09/20/2025
Locality
Namibia, Oshikoto Region, TsumebRegional guide →
SKUCC53342

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.