Hydrozincite (uncommon locality specimen)

Item Description

Here we have a fairly hard to find specimen of Hydrozincite a hydroxy zinc carbonate mineral from the Ojuela Mine in Mexico. This species 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 piece is a good sized example featuring small radiating "sprays" of snow-white Hydrozincite, on a limonitic matrix. The Hydrozincites are very attractive up close and we've photographed them with a Canon MP-E 65 mm macro lens to better illustrate the quality. For a mineral that is not commonly seen from this locality, this is a good representative example, especially if you collect secondary ore minerals or specimens from the famed Ojuela Mine.
From the collection of William ("Bill") (1927-2006) and Anne (1928-2021) Cook of Cleveland, Ohio (#7542). This husband and wife duo were actively involved in the mineral world for many decades. Bill was a PhD geologist, and Anne was a mathematician, and they both were very serious mineral collectors. Bill served for many years as adjunct curator of mineralogy at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the Micromounters' Hall of Fame on October 12, 2019. Both Bill and Anne, at various times, served as president both of the Mineralogical Society of Cleveland and of the Micromineral Society of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The rare barium lithium beryllium phosphate Wilancookite was named in their honor in 2015.