Minrecordite
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Archaeodontosaurus" title="User:Archaeodontosaurus">Didier Descouens</a> (CC BY 3.0)
Mineral NameMinrecordite
Chemical FormulaCaZn(CO3)2
Mohs Hardness3.5
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavageperfect on {1011}
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity3.4
Colorswhite, colorless, pale yellow, pale brown
Transparencytransparent
Type LocalityTsumeb Mine (Tsumcorp Mine), Tsumeb, Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region, Namibia
Mineral Groupcarbonates
Usescollector
Associated Mineralsdioptase, calcite, smithsonite, cerussite
Rarityrare
Description
The image displays small, white to off-white, blocky or rhombohedral crystals of Minrecordite, contrasting against the vibrant emerald-green crystals of dioptase.
Geological Context
Minrecordite is a secondary mineral typically found in the oxidized zones of polymetallic ore deposits, forming from the alteration of primary zinc and calcium minerals in a carbonate-rich environment. The Tsumeb Mine is renowned for its exceptional diversity of secondary minerals.
