3.4" Botryoidal Green Smithsonite - Hidden Treasure Mine, Utah

This specimen contains botryoidal green smithsonite, with calcite crystals peppered along what could be considered the underside of the specimen. It was collected from the Hidden Treasure Mine in the Ophir District of Utah, a location that's well known for its zinc and copper mineral deposits.

It comes with an acrylic display stand.

Smithsonite forms in earthy botryoidal masses, sometimes forming grape-like structures. It can be found as a secondary mineral in oxidation zones of zinc ore deposits, in some sedimentary deposits, and as an oxidation product of sphalerite. The general chemical formula of smithsonite is ZnCO3, however Fe (iron), Mg (magnesium), Ca (calcium), Cd (cadmium), Cu (copper), and Co (cobalt) can take the place of Zn (zinc). This potential for elemental variation results in smithsonite's wide variety of colors, including blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, brown, gray, white, and colorless.

Calcite, CaCO3, is a carbonate mineral and the most stable polymorph of calcium carbonate. The other polymorphs are the minerals aragonite and vaterite. Calcite crystals are trigonal-rhombohedral, though actual calcite rhombohedra are rare as natural crystals. However, they show a remarkable variety of habits including acute to obtuse rhombohedra, tabular forms, and prisms. Calcite exhibits several twinning types adding to the variety of observed forms. It may occur as fibrous, granular, lamellar, or compact. Cleavage is usually in three directions parallel to the rhombohedron form.

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DETAILS
SPECIES
Smithsonite & Calcite
LOCATION
Hidden Treasure Mine, Ophir District, Utah
SIZE
3.4 x 2.2"
CATEGORY
ITEM
#119527