smithsonite

TSNB503

Specimen

Exhibit 1. Smithsonite; 77 mm.
Exhibit 1. Smithsonite; 77 mm.
Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Exhibit 2. Smithsonite, photographed in LWUV; 77 mm.
Exhibit 2. Smithsonite, photographed in LWUV; 77 mm.
Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Exhibit 3.
Exhibit 3.
Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Exhibit 4. Analytical data; smithsonite.
Exhibit 4. Analytical data; smithsonite.
Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
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Title

smithsonite

Principal Mineral

Smithsonite

Size

Cabinet; 80mm

Collection

Geoscience Australia R28028

Provenance

Latz, C.V.

Entry Type

Specimen TSNB503

Description

Sub-spherical aggregates of intergrown, composite rhombs of very pale pink smithsonite (to 20 mm), encrusting a shard of sooty-black, partly oxidised massive sulphide. The smithsonite shows moderate pink and blue fluorescence colours under long wavelength UV radiation (Exhibit 2), and a very intense purple response under short wavelength (Exhibit 3).

The specimen is from the collection of Clement Victor Latz, which was donated to the Australian Bureau of Mineral Resources (now Geoscience Australia) in 1976. Co (354 ppm),

The specimen has been analysed by EMPA-WDS and LA-ICP-MS as part of a study of the causes of colour in smithsonite (Weall 2023; Southwood et al. 2025) who hypothesised that Mn (2201 ppm) is the principal chromophore, while the Co concentration (65 ppm) is below the level expected to influence colour formation.

Associated Minerals

(not assigned)