Smithsonite Mineral Data

Smithsonite Mineral Data
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General Smithsonite Information

Help on Chemical Formula: Chemical Formula: ZnCO3
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 125.40 gm
   Zinc    52.15 %  Zn   64.90 % ZnO
   Carbon   9.58 %  C    35.10 % CO2
   Oxygen  38.28 %  O
          ______        ______ 
          100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Zn(CO3)
Help on Environment: Environment: Commonly found as an oxidation product of Zn-bearing ores.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1832
Help on Locality: Locality: Mendips at Derbyshire, UK. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named after James Smithson (1765-1829), English mineralogist who financed the founding of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, USA.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Smithsonite + Pronunciation Say SMITHSONITE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: Calamine
  Galmei
  ICSD 100679
  PDF 8-449
  Zinc spar
 

Smithsonite Image

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Smithsonite   Creedite

Comments: Purple transparent crystals of creedite to 6 mm on matrix of creamy botryoidal crystalline smithsonite.
Location: Level 8 San Antonio mine, Santa Eulalia, Chihuahua, Mexico. Scale: 7 x 3.5 x 2 cm.
© Dan Weinrich
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Smithsonite

Comments: Twinned crystals of smithsonite on matrix.
Location: Ojuela mine, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals
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Smithsonite   Murdochite

Comments: Dark metallic micro crystals of murdochite on pale blue-gray smithsonite crystal covered matrix.
Location: Silver Hill Mine group, Silver Hill, Waterman District, Waterman Mts, Pima Co., Arizona, USA. Scale: 5x4x2 cm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals
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Smithsonite

Comments: Yellow, cadmian-bearing smithsonite crystalline aggregate.
Location: Rush Mine in Marion County, Arkansas, USA. Scale: 6.5 x 11 cm.
© Kevin Ward
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Smithsonite   Fraipontite   Zinalsite

Comments: Pearly white, sub-mm fraipontite (zinalsite) crystals associated with green smithsonite.
Location: Lavrion District Mines, Lavrion District, Attikí (Attica; Attika) Prefecture, Greece. Scale: Specimen Size 1.4 x 1.0 x 0.9 cm.
© Rob Lavinsky

Smithsonite Crystallography
Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:c = 1:3.22974
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 4.653, c = 15.028, Z = 6; V = 281.77 Den(Calc)= 4.43
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Trigonal - Hexagonal ScalenohedralH-M Symbol (3 2/m) Space Group: R 3c
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 2.75(1), 3.55(0.5), 1.703(0.45),
Help on Forms: Forms:

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Forms: ( 1 0 2) ( 1 1 1)

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Graf D L , American Mineralogist , 46 (1961) p.1283-1316, Crystallographic tables for the rhombohedral carbonates

 

Physical Properties of Smithsonite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {1011} Perfect, {1011} Perfect, 1011 Perfect
Help on Color: Color: Grayish white, Dark gray, Green, Blue, Yellow.
Help on Density: Density: 4.4 - 4.5, Average = 4.45
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Subtransparent to translucent
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.
Help on Habit: Habit: Botryoidal - "Grape-like" rounded forms (e.g.. malachite).
Help on Habit: Habit: Earthy - Dull, clay-like texture with no visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).
Help on Habit: Habit: Reniform - "Kidney like" in shape (e.g.. hematite).
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 4.5 - Between Fluorite and Apatite
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Fluorescent, Long UV=gray pale yellow.
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Smithsonite

Help on Dichroism (e): Dichroism (e): colorless.
Help on Dichroism (w): Dichroism (w): colorless.
Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= 0.062 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.057 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1665,KPDmeas= 0.1657,KC= 0.1766
Ncalc = 1.78 - 1.79
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Uniaxial (-), e=1.625, w=1.85, bire=0.2250.
 

Calculated Properties of Smithsonite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.24 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Smithsonite =4.43 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.02
Boson Index = 0.98
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PESmithsonite = 26.17 barns/electron
U=PESmithsonite x rElectron Density= 110.94 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Smithsonite is Not Radioactive
 

Smithsonite Classification
Help on Dana Class: Dana Class: 14.01.01.06 (14)Anhydrous Carbonates
  (14.01)with Simple Formula A+ CO3
  (14.01.01)Calcite Group (Trigonal: R-3c)
 
14.01.01.01 Calcite CaCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
14.01.01.02 Magnesite MgCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
14.01.01.03 Siderite FeCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
14.01.01.04 Rhodochrosite MnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
14.01.01.05 Sphaerocobaltite CoCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
14.01.01.06 Smithsonite ZnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
14.01.01.07 Otavite CdCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
14.01.01.08 Gaspeite (Ni,Mg,Fe)CO3 R 3c 3 2/m
Help on Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 05.AB.05 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)
  05.A - Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
  05.AB -Alkali-earth (and other M2+) carbonates
 
05.AB.05 Calcite CaCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
05.AB.05 Gaspeite (Ni,Mg,Fe)CO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
05.AB.05 Magnesite MgCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
05.AB.05 Rhodochrosite MnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
05.AB.05 Otavite CdCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
05.AB.05 Sphaerocobaltite CoCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
05.AB.05 Siderite FeCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 
05.AB.05 Smithsonite ZnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m
 

Other Smithsonite Information
Help on References: References: NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Collectors Book of Fluorescent Minerals) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Smithsonite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - Franklin Minerals(Dunn)
7 - Franklin Minerals(Palache)
8 - GeoScienceWorld
9 - Glendale Community College
10 - Google Images
11 - Google Scholar
12 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
13 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
14 - HyperPhysics
15 - MinDAT
16 - Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom
17 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
18 - Online Mineral Museum
19 - QUT Mineral Atlas
20 - Ruff.Info
21 - University of Colorado - Mineral Structure Data
22 - WWW-MINCRYST
23 - YupRocks
24 - theimage

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Smithsonite Specimen Label here :

Smithsonite

ZnCO3
Dana No: 14.01.01.06 Strunz No: 05.AB.05
Locality:

 

Notes: