Smithsonite
Image: Didier Descouens (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Mineral NameSmithsonite
Chemical FormulaZnCO₃
Mohs Hardness4
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavageperfect rhombohedral {101̅1}
Fractureuneven
Specific Gravity4.35
Colorspale yellow, cream, white
Transparencytranslucent
Type LocalityVieille Montagne (Altenberg; Kelmisberg), Moresnet, Kelmis, Plombières-Vieille Montagne (Plombières-Altenberg) District, Verviers, Liège Province, Belgium
Mineral GroupCarbonates
Usesore of zinc, collector, jewelry (rarely)
Associated Mineralsgalena, sphalerite, hemimorphite, cerussite, calcite, limonite
Rarityuncommon
Description
This specimen displays a vug lined with numerous pale yellow to cream-white smithsonite crystals, exhibiting a botryoidal to drusy habit, set within a dark, earthy matrix.
Geological Context
Smithsonite is a secondary mineral found in the oxidized zone of zinc-bearing ore deposits, forming from the alteration of primary zinc sulfides like sphalerite in carbonate-rich host rocks. It often occurs in karst environments.
