Smithsonite var. Cadmium rich (New Find)

Item Description

Rich lemon-yellow, translucent, bubbly smithsonite botryoids with waxy luster cover three sides of this hefty, sculptural knob from the recent Chinese finds. The banded smithsonite covers the vuggy matrix core. The yellow color is thought to be due to cadmiun content, as with yellow smithsonite from Tsumeb, Italy, and Mexico. The yellow smithsonite GLOWS, when back lit. A very fine and nearly pristine example, with only trivial bruising. Contacts on three sides, including the face with the cute "eye" have very little damage, per se. These are VERY similar to Italian smithsonites, from the 1800s, that cost an arm and a leg! And, those are super rare on the market. This new find really sets a new standard and gives the rest of us a chance to acquire one in this style at a reasonable price point. 447 grams or nearly a pound mass.