Hydrozincite (fluorescent)

Item Description

Hydrozincite - zinc carbonate hydroxide, forms in the oxidation zones of zinc deposits as masses or crusts. Hydrozincite may be present on many specimens, but is usually unnoticed or assumed to be some other more common mineral, such as Calcite or Aragonite. This is a very rich specimen from Mapimi. It is actually quite attractive, where radial sprays of the mineral have formed in shallow recesses in a contrasting matrix of limonite, and even between the layers. The Hydrozincite is even fluorescent under both short and long wave UV light.