Catalog Search Guide
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Smithsonite
Smithsonite is a zinc carbonate (ZnCO3) belonging to the calcite group, forming a solid-solution series with iron-dominant siderite and manganese-dominant rhodochrosite. Named in 1832 after chemist James Smithson, it typically forms as a secondary mineral in the oxidation zone of zinc-sulfide deposits, growing alongside hemimorphite, willemite, hydrozincite, cerussite, malachite, azurite and aurichalcite. Rather than sharp crystals, smithsonite is prized above all for its botryoidal, grape-like crusts and a signature silky-to-pearly luster often compared to melted wax; well-formed rhombohedral or scalenohedral crystals are genuinely rare, making crystallized pieces especially collectible.
Color is what drives demand: trace copper produces the coveted apple-green to electric-blue tones, cobalt gives pink to lavender-purple hues, cadmium yields yellow, and iron brings brown to reddish shades — the same species can range from colorless to nearly black. The undisputed type reference for the species is the Kelly Mine in Magdalena, Socorro County, New Mexico, source of the finest blue and blue-green botryoidal crusts ever found, alongside the equally classic Broken Hill Mine (Kabwe) in Zambia and the Australian Broken Hill in New South Wales. The absolute pinnacle of the species, however, comes from Tsumeb in Namibia, where smithsonite was historically the second most abundant secondary mineral after cerussite and occurred through all three oxidation zones — producing the famous "Blue Pocket" find and rare cobaltoan pink rhombohedra with scalenohedral crystals reaching several centimeters, considered the finest in the world.
Other important localities enrich the species' collector appeal: the vivid pink, blue and lavender botryoidal material from the Refugio Mine in Choix, Sinaloa, and deep pink rhombs from the San Antonio Mine, Santa Eulalia district, Chihuahua, Mexico; the historic Franklin-Sterling Hill district in New Jersey; bright yellow "turkey fat ore" from Rush Creek, Arkansas; blue-green crusts from Lavrion, Greece; and Sardinian material from the Monteponi and Massua mines near Iglesias, Italy. With a Mohs hardness of 4-4.5 and specific gravity near 4.4, smithsonite is often confused with hemimorphite, but its plastic-like fracture and waxy sheen set it apart. Its rich palette, classic botryoidal habit, and storied localities make it a cornerstone species for secondary zinc-mineral collections and cabinet specimens alike.
SMITHSONITE – Crested Crystal Growth, San Giovanni Mine, Sardinia, Italy
