A Geoscience Digital Image Library
A Geoscience Digital Image Library
| Title | Smithsonite from Zacatecas, Mexico |
|---|---|
| Description | Most of this specimen is light greenish smithsonite. Smithsonite is essentially zinc carbonate, but the zinc is usually partially replaced with other elements. This is responsible for the great color variation this mineral exhibits. The light green color of the sample shown here is not unusual. Copper, however, can cause smithsonite to be darker green to blue; cobalt makes it pink to purple; cadmium makes it yellow; and iron makes it brown to reddish-brown. Smithsonite is a secondary mineral formed from the alteration of primary zinc minerals. This sample is 10.5 cm across. |
| Location | Mexico. Near Zacatecas. |
| Photographer | Darla Sondrol. 2001-06-18. |
| Collection | University of North Dakota Mineralogy Collection. |
| Key words | smithsonite |
| Tech details | 532 KB. Hand specimen. Fujifilm FinePix S1Pro digital camera; 60mm AF Nikon micro lens. |
| GeoDIL number | 769 |
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