Hemimorphite
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Rept0n1x" title="User:Rept0n1x">Rept0n1x</a> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mineral NameHemimorphite
Chemical FormulaZn₄Si₂O₇(OH)₂·H₂O
Mohs Hardness4.5
Crystal Systemorthorhombic
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavageperfect on {110}, good on {101}
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity3.45
Colorslight blue, turquoise, white, colorless, pale green, brown
Transparencytranslucent
Type LocalityVieille Montagne, Belgium
Mineral GroupSilicates
Usesore of zinc, collector, jewelry
Associated Mineralssmithsonite, cerussite, sphalerite, calcite, quartz
Rarityuncommon
Description
A light blue to turquoise specimen exhibiting a botryoidal (mammillary) habit, forming rounded, bubbly masses on a matrix.
Geological Context
Hemimorphite is a secondary mineral found in the oxidized zones of zinc-lead ore deposits, typically forming from the alteration of primary zinc sulfides like sphalerite.
