SMITHSONITE
Chemical Formula: ZnCO3
Familly: Carbonates
Status: IMA-GP
Crystal System: Rhomboedric
Mineral for Display: No
Luminescence:
UV Type |
Main color |
Intensity |
Observation Frequency |
|
| | | |
Long Waves (365nm): | Yellowish White | | | Short Waves (254 nm): | Red | | | | | | |
Other colors LW: | White , |
Other colors SW: | Red , Violet red , Green , Blue , Violet , |
Daylight Picture

SMITHSONITE;
Photo and Copyright: James Hamblen
Site of the author
Used with permission of the author
Short Waves Pictures (254nm)

SMITHSONITE;
UVSW
Photo and Copyright: James Hamblen
Site of the author
Used with permission of the author
Phosphorescence (in the common meaning of the term) seen by naked eye:
No Data
Main Activator(s) and spectrum:
Most Common Activator: Mn2+
Other activators: Organic impurities ,
Peaks in the spectrum (nm):
Mn2+? replacing Zn2+: peak at 500nm
No spectrum for the moment
Comments on activators and spectra:
Smithsonite has been studied by steady-state luminescence spectroscopy and evidently Mn2+ was found (Gorobets and Rogojine 2001).
Excitation by CW laser with 532 nm revealed one band peaking at 680 nm which is different from green emission previously ascribed to Mn2+. (Gaft)
Best Locality for luminescence(*):
- Tsumeb, Namibia (fluo Blue or Red SW);
- Skorpion Mine, Rosh Pinah, Oranjemund, Karas Region, Namibia (green SW);
- Alston Moor, Cumberland, England (fluo red SW);
- Miller Canyon, Huachuca Montains, Cochise Co, AZ, USA (fluo red SW);
- Cerro Gordo Mine, Inyo County, California, USA (violet/pink SW associated with hydrozincite blue-white SW);
- Klichkinskoye, Nerchinskii District, East Transbaikalia, Russia (fluo green);
- Touissit, Touissit District, Jerada Province, Oriental Region Morocco ;
- El Refugio Mine, Choix, Choix Municipality, Sinaloa, Mexico (blue, red, violet SW) (+/-2007);
(*)Data are not exhaustive and are limited to the most important localities for fluorescence
Bibliographical Reference for luminescence:
- The World of Fluorescent Minerals, Stuart Schneider, Schiffer Publishing, 2006, ISBN 0-7643-2544-2 ,
- Luminescence Spectroscopy of Minerals and Materials, M. Gaft, R. Reisfeld, G. Panczer, Springer Editor, ISBN: 10 3-540-21918-8 ,
- Luminescent Spectra of Minerals, Boris S. Gorobets and Alexandre A. Rogojine, Moscow, 2002 ,
- Handbook of Fluorescent Gems and Minerals, a practical guide for the gem and mineral collector, Jack de Ment, 1949 ,
Luminescence Reference on internet:
Mineralogical Reference on internet:
http://www.mindat.org/show.php?name=Smithsonite
http://webmineral.com/data/Smithsonite.shtml
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