Smithsonite (Cadmium-bearing)

Item Description

We first started seeing these attractive yellow Smithsonite specimens from Wenshan appear in the early 2010s. We later found out that the piece were actually mined circa 2002-2003 and subsequently held back for many years, in the hopes that more would be found. Once they hit the market, they were wildly popular among collectors for their beautiful color and gorgeous form. The color is caused by cadmium content, which is often the case when one encounters yellow Smithsonites like this. These specimens are quite reminiscent of the old classic pieces that came from the Masua Mine in Italy many years ago. This is a lovely small cabinet specimen featuring botryoidal, strong yellow color Smithsonite with a resinous and almost "velvety" luster sitting on matrix. There are a few contacted areas on the periphery, were you can see the Smithsonite has more of a beige-tan color underneath the yellow, but it's still an eye-catching example of these colorful Smithsonites.