Smithsonite
Description
Hard, dense, often shiny, mineral composed of zinc carbonate. Smithsonite was the princiapl source for zinc prior to 1880. It has been found in Greece (Laurium), Germany (Aachen), Austria (Carinthia), Poland (Bytom, Tarnowskie Góry), Italy (Sardinia), Rhodesia (Broken Hill mine) and the U.S. (Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, California). It was named for James Smithson, founder of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonite can be white, gray, green, blue, yellow, purple, pink, or brown. It occurs as a secondary mineral in the oxidized zones of hydrothermal ore deposits.
Synonyms and Related Terms
calamine (former name); zinc spar; Zincspat (Deut.)
Other Properties
Luster = adamantine to pearly Streak = white Cleavage = perfect in three directions
| Composition | ZnCO3 |
|---|---|
| Density | 4.3-4.5 |
Additional Information
Mineralogy Database: Smithsonite
Sources Checked for Data in Record
- Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "smithsonite" Encyclopædia Britannica [Accessed December 3, 2002]. (color picture)
- C.W.Chesterman, K.E.Lowe, Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1979
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, at http://www.wikipedia.com Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smithsonite (Accessed Sept. 17, 2005)