Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Title
smithsonite
Principal Mineral
Size
Cabinet; 111mm
Collection
Geoscience Australia R28036
Provenance
Latz, C.V.
Entry Type
Specimen TSNB506
Description
A vug in massive sulphide ore is lined with intergrown rhombs (to 10 mm) of gemmy, transparent, pale rose-pink smithsonite, locally tinted orange-brown possibly by minute inclusions of iron oxides or by the partial oxidation of iron in solid solution in the carbonate.
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.
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 the subtle rose-pink colour is due to the presence of of Co (329 ppm), reinforced by Mn (1279 ppm). Analytical data is presented in Exhibit 2.
Associated Minerals
(not assigned)