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Mineral Specimens with Smithsonite
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17 x 7 x 7 cm. This is simply one of the finest specimens I have come across from this classic 19th-Century locality. The medium-tan Smithsonite forms spectacular and sharp molds after Calcite, all on a firm Limonite matrix. The largest of the complete casts is a whopping 4 cm across, and the aesthetics of these pseudomorphs is quite good. A rare, cabinet sized classic from this old locality. Ex. Charlie Key.
9.1 x 6.7 x 5.2 cm. Smithsonite is found in a wide arrange of colors from Tsumeb alone. Some of the most highly sought after specimens are the pink "Cobaltoan" variety of the species. This piece is such a pretty specimen because it is so well-balanced and displays beautifully. And the color is REALLY good! It has a full coverage on the display side of gemmy, sharp, baby-pink color modified rhombohedra (to 7mm) of Smithsonite on dense sulfide matrix. The specimen is in amazingly good condition as nearly 99% of the crystals on the display side are undamaged. This is an alluring small cabinet specimen of this classic material. Ex. Richard Kosnar Collection.
6.4 x 5.2 x 2.7 cm. A plate of sparkly cobaltoan smithsonite crystals from Tsumeb. These are gemmy little rhombohedra, given their pretty pink color from the cobalt content. Ex. Bill Severance and Academy of Natural Sciences Collections.
4.8 x 3.3 x 3.0 cm. This is a fabulous mini of Tsumeb tarnowitzite (lead-rich variety of aragonite, technically a mixture of aragonite and cerussite) - made really special by the presence of a LARGE single crystal with fantastic sharp form, next to a smaller one, in a bend in the matrix that showcases it perfectly. Tarnowitzite specimens can be fairly clunky, but this one is really aesthetic. Ex. Willy Israel and Sid Pieters Collections.
14.9 x 9.9 x 5.6 cm. This BIG smithsonite specimen has the most unique color and luster - not surprisingly, since it is not from Choix, where the vast majority of Mexican smithsonites have come from in both old and new mining there - but from Sierra Mojada, where Benny Finn (always scouring Mexico for new material) acquired it, and sold it to Dave Stoudt in 2002. The luster is shimmering and pearly, and the color is a beautiful light pastel sea-foam green - gorgeous! This is a thick crust of solid smithsonite.
6.5 x 3.8 x 3.7 cm. Three generations of smithsonite richly cover the sculptural, ship-like matrix of this showy and excellent, two-sided specimen from the famous Broken Hill Mine of Zambia. The ship’s "superstructure" consists of: tiny, mostly gray, lustrous smithsonite scalenohedrons; slightly larger, white, rice grain-like smithsonite crystals; and larger, white smithsonite botryoids, found only on one side. This is classic, older Broken Hill material, probably from the 1950s-70s. Ex. George Elling Collection.
7.4 x 5.2 x 2.9 cm. Sparkly, pastel blue-green smithsonite covers a tall, thin knob of the underlying matrix rock - an unusually sculptural specimen for smithsonite - not sure if it is from the original or more recent finds at Choix. Ex. Dave Stoudt Collection.
7.8 x 6.0 x 4.3 cm. A REALLY NIFTY and UNUSUAL, two-sided Tsumeb specimen from the Rob Smith Collection. Sparkly, colorless to tan Smithsonite microcrystals totally coated and partially replaced aragonite (variety tarnowitzite) crystals on both sides of this very showy specimen. The thin matrix plate in the middle is a very nice contrast to this unique, two-sided specimen. The crystals reach 2.7 cm on this excellent piece. Tarnowitzite is the lead-rich aragonite varietal and is moderately rare at Tsumeb.This style of pseudomorph was found only once, in the mid 1980s.
6.0 x 3.8 x 3.2 cm. An UNUSUAL, rare and showy coated pseudomorph from Tsumeb. This jackstraw cluster consists of tennantite pseudomorphs after sharp azurite crystals, which are coated with glassy, light gray smithsonite rhombs. The broken pseudos reveal the tennantite cores wrapped by the smithsonite rhombs, a neat revelation of the pocket chemistry. Very uncommon and showy material from this famous locale.
16.4 x 10.8 x 7.9 cm. This is old Santa Eulalia smithsonite - not Choix! As such, it is incredibly large and rich, very hard to find specimens such as this around for the locality. It is olive-colored, with a pearly, almost iridescent luster. The only contact is on the bottom; the smithsonite is piled up centimeters thick, culminating in knobby botryoidal forms. Ex. Dave Stoudt collection.
7.6 x 6.1 x 3.2 cm. An almost shimmering, olive-green smithsonite hue with beautiful form and sizable crystals makes this an important locality specimen but ALSO a fine smithsonite by any display standard. This deposit, quite distinct in geology from the nearby mine at Tsumeb, has produced many fine smithsonite specimens, but few with such color like this one. Forming a nice contrast against white willemite crystals, the larger smithsonite crystals, to 3.0 cm across, are a pleasing olive green with chatoyant luster and good translucence. Ex. Steve Smale collection.
15 x 8 x 4 cm. This is a rather large, intensely pink smithsonite with color due to cobalt content. It is a classic Tsumeb style and color, but RARELY do you see it in specimens this large. The crystals are sharp, lustrous, and translucent - and there are hundreds of them here on this nearly pristine display face of rolling hillocks of crystals in clusters. Ex. Miriam and Julius Zweibel Smithsonite Collection. Weight 1348 grams.
4 x 2.1 x 1.3 cm. Gemmy crystals of mimetite to just over one centimeter, in a shallow pocket lined with rhombs of pink smithsonite! Ex. Ulrich Bahmann Collection.
8.3 x 6 x 2.3 cm. A good-sized piece of the prized APPLE-GREEN smithsonite from the classic 79 Mine locality. This is actually from finds not long back where a couple of miners went back into the old works and pulled out a trickle of nice pieces not seen in some years otherwise.
6 x 4.7 x 3.5 cm. Kelly Mine smithsonite has gone from being readily available to being depressingly hard to find. This specimen has the fine robin’s-egg blue color and surface shimmer that makes these specimens so distinctive and sought-after.
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Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com
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