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Mineral Specimens with Smithsonite
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6.8 x 6.5 x 2.6 cm. What you see here is solid smithsonite (rare in any form from Arizona, in fact, but particularly as manifested here). In the center, you can see the super-sharp rhombs which were originally calcite, but were entirely replaced by smithsonite, molecule by molecule, retaining the original form of the calcites. The reddish surface color is from iron oxide. Ex. Dave Stoudt, William Hiss and the University of Arizona Mineralogical Museum Collections.
9.8 x 6.6 x 4.6 cm. Kelly Mine smithsonites have long set the standard for color in blue smithsonite, and classic specimens with this sugary lustre date from the heyday of the mine (up to the 1970s, let’s say). This specimen has a rolling surface of uniform blue color, with the slight secondary coating that gives it a sugary sparkle so desired by collectors. Weighs 428 grams.
14.1 x 7.8 x 6.4 cm. In the late 1990s, this long-defunct specimen locality (which had a last big run in the 1960s or so) produced a few pockets of intensely colored, lustrous, iridescent smithsonite with incredibly good color such as the piece you see here. Although the mine is still producing specimens to this day, they are not of this same color intensity and style. There is a wide spectrum of colors, but I have not seen this intense shade, since the late 1990s. It is darker and more translucent than the deepest blue Kelly Mine smithsonite. Weighs 1260 grams.
6.2 x 5.4 x 2.5 cm. This smithsonite, not from recent finds at Choix but Santa Eulalia material, gets its gorgeous "turkey fat" color from its cadmium content. Its surface has a wonderful shimmering sheen. This is actually a thin shard of matrix wrapped all the way around by the smithsonite. Ex. Clyde Hardin Collection.
1.6 x 1.4 x 0.9 cm. Vivid pink and gemmy cobaltoan smithsonite scalenohedrons form a fine thumbnail from the Tsumeb Mine. This is about the gemmiest, best color pink smithsonite you can imagine from Tsumeb. The large crystal is doubly terminated. Ex. Rob Smith Collection.
4.3 x 3.9 x 2.8 cm. Hydrozincite is an alteration product of smithsonite, sphalerite or hemimorphite. This fine specimen from the Tsumeb Mine features an aesthetic cluster of sharp, brown smithsonite crystals with a powdery dusting of gray hydozincite microcrystals on a nicely contrasting crust of calcite. The largest smithsonite rhomb, 1.8 cm, is perched at the top of the specimen. Ex. Rob Smith Collection.
Outstanding, lustrous, and thick botryoidal Smithsonite. The color is excellent, and the luster is far better in person. 4 x 3.1 x 2.5 cm
6.9 x 6.2 x 3.4 cm. A rich specimen of pea-green smithsonite from the Tsumeb Mine. This specimen got its color from its copper content. It is in the form of a conglomerate of small balls composed of tiny massed crystals, each of which has the typical form for euhedral crystals of smithsonite - so the botryoidal look is an illusion here. Ex. Consie Prince Collection.
4.7 x 3.4 x 2.7 cm. A fine and uncommon pseudomorph from the Tsumeb Mine of malachite pseudomorphing copper plates. The way the pseudomorphs are 90 degrees or perpendicular to one another is beautiful. The pseudomorphs are on a crusty matrix of sparkly, bubbly, two-toned smithsonite.
3.3 x 2.3 x 1.8 cm. A very aesthetic Tsumeb miniature of a superbly placed, 1.4 cm, lustrous, doubly terminated, midnight-blue azurite crystal on beautifully contrasting white smithsonite. The sharp, upright azurite crystal looks just like the primary crystal on a diadem and the smaller azurites are a very nice accent. Ex. Rob Smith Collection.
4.6 x 4.2 x 2.6 cm. This miniature size specimen features a mound of layered, sharp, semi-lustrous yellow colored scalenohedral Smithsonite crystals, but nestled in the middle of the mound is an isolated spherical aggregate of Malachite, plus a few smaller spheres. Ex. Rob Smith Collection.
8.2 x 6.2 x 4.0 cm. This specimen features rounded, gemmy, golden-brown Smithsonite scalenohedra measuring up to 1.0 cm which are coating a mound of iridescent Tennantite crystals. Ex. Rob Smith Collection.
8.8 x 8.2 x 5.7 cm. This specimen is comprised of hundreds of sharp, lustrous, gemmy Smithsonite crystals measuring up to 9 mm sitting on both sides of this excellent and virtually undamaged specimen. The color of the crystals ranges from colorless to yellowish to reddish-orange depending upon the location of the crystal on the specimen and whether or not it has some inclusions. Ex. Rob Smith Collection.
8.5 x 4.2 x 3.6 cm. This is one of the less common Smithsonite varieties from Tsumeb. The crystals are a fine yellow color, like virtually all of these specimens. This material has been known by the name “Cadmian Smithsonite” for a long time, and I am maintaining the information that was passed down to me. This piece features several beautiful, sharp, translucent, colorless rhombohedra measuring up to 1.3 cm with yellow zones on matrix. There is a gemmy, lustrous Cerussite crystal on the underside of the specimen (second photo), which was not originally mentioned on the previous label. Ex. Rob Smith Collection.
6.4 x 3.1 x 2.1 cm. Here we have some excellent, gemmy Smithsonite rhombs up to 7 mm with sharp, well-defined faces and a lovely golden-bronze color on the exterior. You can see that the inside of the crystals is essentially white/colorless, producing a beautiful two-tone effect. The crystals are sitting on minor matrix, and most of them are essentially damage free. Ex. Rob Smith Collection.
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Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com
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