Name/Title
SmithsoniteEntry/Object ID
2004.1.114Description
Chemical Composition: ZnCO3,
Crystal System: Tetragonal System
Description: Common Name: Smithsonite
Group Name: Carbonates
Chemistry: ZnCO3,
Location: Kelly Mine, New Mexico, U.S.A
Description: Vug of botryoidal (globular growths) of blue.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Color is commonly apple green, blue-green, lavender, purple, yellow and white as well as tan, brown, blue, orange, peach, colorless, gray, pink and red.
Luster is usually pearly to resinous with light play across its surface and sometimes is simply vitreous.
Transparency: Crystals are transparent to translucent.
Crystal System is trigonal; bar 3 2/m
Crystal Habits include the rhombohedrons and scalenohedrons with generally curved faces. But more commonly is botryoidal or globular.
Cleavage is perfect in three directions forming rhombohedrons.
Fracture is uneven.
Hardness is 4 - 4.5.
Specific Gravity is approximately 4.4 (heavy for nonmetallic minerals)
Streak is white.
Associated Minerals are those found in oxidation zones of zinc sulfide deposits such as hemimorphite, cerussite, wulfenite, limonite, mimetite, dolomite, hydrozincite, aurichalcite, calcite and other carbonate minerals.
Other Characteristics: Effervesces slightly with warm hydrochloric (HCl) acid.
Best Field Indicators are luster, typical botryoidal habit, cleavage, hardness, reaction to hot acids and density.
Fracture: uneven
Hardness: 4 Flourite
Luster: Pearly
Occurrence: Smithsonite occurs as a secondary mineral in the weathering or oxidation zone of zinc bearing ore deposits. It sometimes occurs as replacement bodies in carbonate rocks and as such may constitute zinc ore. It commonly occurs in association with hemimorphite, willemite, hydrozincite, cerussite, malachite, azurite, aurichalcite and anglesite. Forms two limited solid solution series, with substitution of manganese leading to rhodochrosite and with iron leading to siderite
Noteable Occurrences include Tsumeb, Namibia and the Broken Hill Mine in Zambia; the Kelly Mine, Magdalena, New Mexico; Leadville, Colorado; Utah; Idaho and Arizona, USA; Mexico; Laurion, Greece; Bytom, Poland; Moresnet, Belgium and many other localities.
Rock Type: Sedimentary
Specific Gravity: 4.5
Streak: white
Variety: Smithsonite, or zinc spar, is zinc carbonate ZnCO3, a mineral ore of zinc. Historically, smithsonite was identified with hemimorphite before it was realised that they were two distinct minerals. The two minerals are very similar in appearance and the term calamine has been used for both, leading to some confusionCollection
Suomynona Mineral CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2004.1Source or Donor
Suomynona Mineral CollectionAcquisition Method
DonationDimensions
Width
4 inDepth
10 inLength
5 inWeight
7.28 ozDimension Notes
Dimension taken at widest pointsLocation
Location
Room
Frieda Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentMoved By
Curtis GardnerDate
May 25, 2023Notes
Added current locationLocation
Drawer
CornerShelf
Bottom SE, Bottom SEWall
North 2nd centerHallway
Discovery HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentMoved By
Scott LonganDate
August 26, 2009Location
Cabinet
Case #56Wall
CenterBuilding
Freida Smith HallCategory
Permanent
