smithsonite

TSNB629
Specimen
Latz, C.V.
Exhibit 1. Smithsonite; 260 mm.
Exhibit 1. Smithsonite; 260 mm.
Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Exhibit 2. Analytical data; smithsonite.
Exhibit 2. Analytical data; smithsonite.
Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
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Specimen Title

smithsonite

Principal Mineral

Smithsonite

Size

Cabinet; 260mm

Provenance

Latz, C.V.

Collection

Geoscience Australia; R28828

Entry Number

Specimen; TSNB629

Description

A crust of spearmint-green smithsonite crystals (to 8 mm) on a shard of feldspathic sandstone.

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 2022; Southwood et al. 2025). They hypothesised that the principal chromophore is Cu (4151 ppm) which is almost certainly in solid solution in the smithsonite lattice. Analytical data is presented in Exhibit 2.