Smithsonite
Mineral of zinc carbonate
title: "Smithsonite" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["carbonate-minerals", "zinc-minerals", "calcite-group", "trigonal-minerals", "minerals-in-space-group-167", "minerals-described-in-1802"] description: "Mineral of zinc carbonate" topic_path: "general/carbonate-minerals" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smithsonite" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Mineral of zinc carbonate ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox mineral"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Smithsonite |
| category | Carbonate mineral |
| image | Smithsonite-Willemite-cktsu-23a.jpg |
| imagesize | 260px |
| formula | ZnCO3 |
| IMAsymbol | Smt |
| strunz | 5.AB.05 |
| system | Trigonal |
| class | Hexagonal scalenohedral (m) |
| H-M symbol: ( 2/m) | |
| symmetry | Rc |
| unit cell | a = 4.6526(7) |
| c = 15.0257(22) [Å]; Z = 6 | |
| color | White, grey, yellow, green to apple-green, blue, pink, purple, bluish grey, and brown |
| habit | Uncommon as crystals, typically botryoidal, reniform, spherulitic; stalactitic, earthy, compact massive |
| twinning | None observed |
| cleavage | Perfect on [1011] |
| fracture | Uneven, sub-conchoidal |
| tenacity | Brittle |
| mohs | 4.5 |
| luster | Vitreous, may be pearly |
| refractive | nω = 1.842 – 1.850 nε = 1.619 – 1.623 |
| opticalprop | Uniaxial (−) |
| birefringence | δ = 0.223 – 0.227 |
| fluorescence | May fluoresce pale green or pale blue under UV |
| streak | White |
| gravity | 4.4–4.5 |
| diaphaneity | Translucent |
| references | |
| :: |
| name = Smithsonite | category = Carbonate mineral | boxwidth = | boxbgcolor = | image = Smithsonite-Willemite-cktsu-23a.jpg | imagesize = 260px | caption = | formula = ZnCO3 | IMAsymbol = Smt | molweight = | strunz = 5.AB.05 | system = Trigonal | class = Hexagonal scalenohedral (m) H-M symbol: ( 2/m) | symmetry = Rc | unit cell = a = 4.6526(7) c = 15.0257(22) [Å]; Z = 6 | color = White, grey, yellow, green to apple-green, blue, pink, purple, bluish grey, and brown | habit = Uncommon as crystals, typically botryoidal, reniform, spherulitic; stalactitic, earthy, compact massive | twinning = None observed | cleavage = Perfect on [1011] | fracture = Uneven, sub-conchoidal | tenacity = Brittle | mohs = 4.5 | luster = Vitreous, may be pearly | polish = | refractive = nω = 1.842 – 1.850 nε = 1.619 – 1.623 | opticalprop = Uniaxial (−) | birefringence = δ = 0.223 – 0.227 | dispersion = | pleochroism = | fluorescence= May fluoresce pale green or pale blue under UV | absorption = | streak = White | gravity = 4.4–4.5 | density = | melt = | fusibility = | diagnostic = | solubility = | diaphaneity = Translucent | other = | references = Smithsonite, also known as zinc spar, is the mineral form of zinc carbonate (ZnCO3). Historically, smithsonite was identified with hemimorphite before it was realized that they were two different minerals. The two minerals are very similar in appearance and the term calamine has been used for both, leading to some confusion. The distinct mineral smithsonite was named in 1832 by François Sulpice Beudant in honor of English scientist James Smithson (c. 1765–1829), who first identified the mineral in 1802.
Smithsonite is a variably colored trigonal mineral which only rarely is found in well formed crystals. The typical habit is as earthy botryoidal masses. It has a Mohs hardness of 4.5 and a specific gravity of 4.4 to 4.5.
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. It forms two limited solid solution series, with substitution of manganese leading to rhodochrosite, and with iron, leading to siderite. A bright yellow variety is sometimes called "turkey fat ore". The cause of the yellow colour is due to the presence of greenockite inclusions within the smithsonite crystals.
Gallery
File:Smithsonite 4.JPG|Botryoidal smithsonite: Ojuela Mine, Mapimi, Mun. de Mapimi, Durango, Mexico File:SmithsoniteGrece.jpg|Botryoidal smithsonite mass from the Lavrion District Mines, Greece File:Smithsonite-52236.jpg|Crystals of pink cobaltoan smithsonite on matrix File:Smithsonite-279094.jpg|Apple-green cuprian smithsonite crystals. A second generation of drusy smithsonite was deposited in the crevasses between the larger growth. File:Smithsonite-139792.jpg|Crystals of slightly pink cobaltoan smithsonite, Tsumeb, 6.8 × 4.6 × 3.7 cm File:Smithsonite Kelly Mine.jpg|Blue smithsonite from the Kelly Mine in New Mexico
References
Bibliography
- Tom Hughes, Suzanne Liebetrau, and Gloria Staebler, eds. (2010). Smithsonite: Think Zinc! Denver, CO: Lithographie .
- Ewing, Heather (2007). The Lost World of James Smithson: Science, Revolution, and the Birth of the Smithsonian. London and New York: Bloomsbury
References
- Warr, L.N.. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine.
- [http://www.mindat.org/min-3688.html Smithsonite: Smithsonite mineral information and data from Mindat]
- [http://www.webmineral.com/data/Smithsonite.shtml Smithsonite mineral data from Webmineral]
- (2005). "Smithsonite". Mineral Data Publishing.
- "Smithsonite at the National Museum of Natural History". Smithsonian Institution.
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