|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
ex. Martin Zinn
I must admit that most of the botryoidal pink smithsonite from Sinaloa leaves me generally unimpressed. Not so for this very aesthetic specimen which features many discrete spherical crystal aggregates of lustrous, translucent, rich pink, smithsonite, to 1.2 cm across, which contrasts beautifully with the black matrix. The crystals are there, if rounded. It is not botryoidal as you first think looking at it. It is VERY unusual and comes from a smaller mine, nearby to the more productive Choix Mine, from which we see more typical flat plates of smithsonite. This is definitely a different beast! Formerly in the world class collection of Martin Zinn.
ex. Martin Zinn
Botryoidal, lustrous, translucent, yellowish-green, smithsonite has encrusted a dark reddish-brown limonite matrix. I particularly like the 3.5 cm in length, stalactitic encrustation. A very unusual color for Mexico, and also I am not familiar with other smithsonite from this mine coming to market. From the world class collection of Martin Zinn.
ex. Charlie Key
Intergrown, lustrous and translucent crystals of smoky-pink, smithsonite, to 1.0 cm across, are nestled in a curving vug on matrix. On closeup, note the sharp internal phantoms! VERY unusual, this. The color combo of the smoky phantoms inside pink cobaltian rich smithsonite is both unusual and very attractive. Aside from only the edge of the periphery, this piece is completely pristine. Again, the lustre, and the waxy look of it, are very appealing and showy.
ex. Charlie Key
Well formed rhombs of lustrous and translucent, ivory colored, smithsonite, to a relatively large 1.75 cm across, are perched on a matrix of willemite, in tan, drusy spheres. A lovely and aesthetic specimen of smithsonite. This is a superb display miniature specimen of exquisite balance. (NOT TSUMEB but included here because Charlie kept it anyhow for comparison and to complement his Tsumeb pieces )
ex. Charlie Key
To me, the most beautiful habit of smithsonite, bar none period, from Tsumeb, is this rare style and combination: Gemmy and glassy, greenish-blue crystals of smithsonite, to .5 cm across, are emplaced on a crust of blue-green, rosasite which sits on a white, limestone matrix. The combination is very colorful! Although the crystals are small, they are so impactful, so juicy and bright, that this style of smithsonite is to me the most beautiful here, if not the most significant for size, and separation, I'd usually want.
ex. Charlie Key
On a sliver of matrix sits a superb miniature featuring translucent, frosted, light yellow, smithsonite, with a large and translucent 3.5 cm crystal crossed by a smaller one . Easily a competition quality miniature! (NOT TSUMEB but included here because Charlie kept it anyhow for comparison and to complement his Tsumeb pieces )
ex. Charlie Key
Perched aesthetically on massive, black, ore are several crystals of lustrous and translucent, ivory colored smithsonite, to .5 cm across. This is a choice Tsumeb minature of an oddball habit.
ex. Charlie Key
A sparkling, vivid green carpet of intergrown crystals of glassy and gemmy, forest green, cuprosmithsonite serves as the backdrop for what looks like sharp creatures floating in the sea of green... Nearly covering the cuprosmithsonite are twinned crystal clusters of reticulated cerussite with a stark white color, both lustrous and translucent. They are to 1.1 cm across. I can identify V-twins, reticulated complex growths, snowflake, twins, and cyclic twins all on the same specimen. A spectacular combination of species and colors! The association is rare to begin with, and this, as a cabinet piece, is really just unexpected.
ex. Charlie Key
Massive, iridescent, black ore is the host for a cluster of pastel pink, lustrous and translucent crystals of cobaltian smihsonite to 1.0 cm across. Super contrast of colors! The crystals are translucent and have an almost silky overall lustre to them.
ex. Charlie Key
Massive, dark gray, galena is the matrix for these crystals of lustrous, translucent, stony-beige crystals of smithsonite. The largest crystal is doubly terminated and measures a whopping 3.75 cm in length. The arrangement of smaller smithsonite crystals adjacent to the large one is quite pleasing to the eye. THIS IS A HUGE CRYSTAL for this particular habit, elongated and doubly-terminated, and thus overall quite significant I think. The crystal isREALLY FAT, and yet the whole thing is translucent.
ex. Charlie Key
ONLY FROM TSUMEB! This is a very unusual combination of mineral species, at Tsumeb or anywhere to my knowledge. Crudely formed copper crystals with a fine patina frame many intergrown crystals of lustrous and translucent, gemmy smithsonite, to 1 cm across. Several of the sharp smithsonite rhombohedra are included by copper, something I have not seen before in this habit. Copper is actually quite rare at Tsumeb, in native form.
ex. Charlie Key
A KILLER, competition level, perfectly balanced miniature with a huge gem crystal centered in the middle! This superb matrix, miniature, is covered with lustrous and translucent, pastel pink cobaltian smithsonite crystals. The dominant crystal is unusually gemmy and unusally symmetric, and measures 2.2 cm high (almost an INCH!) and 1.5 cm across. In person the color is a definite pink-lavender hue.
A very rare example from a famous pocket of the early 1980s, 1984 i think, which has red smithsonite of a unique hue caused by MANGANESE and NOT by the usual COBALT which gives pink smithsonite its color from other localities, and indeed from other pockets at Tsumeb as well. This is one of the most rare varieties of smithsonite and to my knowledge occured only from Tsumeb in any quality. I buy all that turn up, occasionally getting lucky and buying one mislabelled as the more common cobaltian varietal - so keep an eye out, too!
Bright, lustrous, wet-looking, deep green smithsonite of the BEST color hue for the find, from just over a decade ago. This is a complete-all-around specimen of the highest quality. It is a large thumber or small miniature. Ex. Paul Harter Collection
ex. Sam Nasser
One of the best thumbnail examples of this material I have ever seen! From old finds now, about late 1980s.
All Content and Design ©1996-2012 The ArkenstonePowered by http://mineralwebsites.comMineral Specimens by species; or by specimen id. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
share specimen![Cobaltian Smithsonite from El Refugio Mine, Sinaloa, Mexico [db_pics/pics/azmex54a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/azmex54a.jpg)
![Cadmian Smithsonite from Los Reyes Mine, Zacatecas, Mexico [db_pics/pics/azmex57a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/azmex57a.jpg)
![Cadmian Smithsonite from Los Reyes Mine, Zacatecas, Mexico [db_pics/pics/azmex57b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/azmex57b.jpg)
![Cobaltoan Smithsonite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-20a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-20a.jpg)
![Cobaltoan Smithsonite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-20b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-20b.jpg)
![Cobaltoan Smithsonite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-20c.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-20c.jpg)
![Smithsonite on Willemite from Berg Aukas, Grootfontein, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-23a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-23a.jpg)
![Smithsonite on Willemite from Berg Aukas, Grootfontein, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-23b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-23b.jpg)
![Smithsonite on Willemite from Berg Aukas, Grootfontein, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-23c.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-23c.jpg)
![Cuprian Smithsonite on Rosasite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-24a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-24a.jpg)
![Cuprian Smithsonite on Rosasite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-24b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-24b.jpg)
![Cuprian Smithsonite on Rosasite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-24c.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-24c.jpg)
![Smithsonite on Willemite from Berg Aukas, Grootfontein, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-25a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-25a.jpg)
![Smithsonite on Willemite from Berg Aukas, Grootfontein, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-25b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-25b.jpg)
![Smithsonite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-26a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-26a.jpg)
![Smithsonite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-26b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-26b.jpg)
![Smithsonite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-26c.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-26c.jpg)
![Smithsonite var. Cuprosmithsonite with Cerussite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-40a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-40a.jpg)
![Smithsonite var. Cuprosmithsonite with Cerussite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-40b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-40b.jpg)
![Smithsonite var. Cuprosmithsonite with Cerussite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-40c.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-40c.jpg)
![Smithsonite var. Cuprosmithsonite with Cerussite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-40d.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-40d.jpg)
![Cobaltian Smithsonite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-47a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-47a.jpg)
![Cobaltian Smithsonite from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-47b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-47b.jpg)
![Smithsonite on Galena from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-50a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-50a.jpg)
![Smithsonite on Galena from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-50b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-50b.jpg)
![Smithsonite on Galena from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-50c.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-50c.jpg)
![Smithsonite included by Copper (rare association) from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-53a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-53a.jpg)
![Smithsonite included by Copper (rare association) from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-53b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-53b.jpg)
![Smithsonite included by Copper (rare association) from Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-53c.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-53c.jpg)
![Smithsonite var. Cobaltian Smithsonite from Tsumeb mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-61a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-61a.jpg)
![Smithsonite var. Cobaltian Smithsonite from Tsumeb mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-61b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-61b.jpg)
![Smithsonite var. Cobaltian Smithsonite from Tsumeb mine, Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/cktsu-61c.jpg]](db_pics/pics/cktsu-61c.jpg)
![Manganoan Smithsonite from Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/d05-135a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/d05-135a.jpg)
![Manganoan Smithsonite from Tsumeb, Namibia [db_pics/pics/d05-135b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/d05-135b.jpg)
![Cuprian Smithsonite from 79 Mine, Gila County, Arizona, USA [db_pics/pics/d05-153a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/d05-153a.jpg)
![Cuprian Smithsonite from 79 Mine, Gila Co., Arizona, USA [db_pics/pics/d05-47a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/d05-47a.jpg)