Smithsonite

specimen number:
2072218

location:
Choix, Sinaloa, Mexico

description:
Pinkish purple botryoidal crystallized smithsonite across the top of matrix.

The Choix mining district, situated in the northern part of Sinaloa, Mexico, is indeed most celebrated for its high-quality smithsonite. Geologically, these deposits are hosted in a series of lead-zinc-silver replacement bodies within Cretaceous limestone and skarn zones, where primary sulfide mineralization has undergone extensive oxidation. The smithsonite from this area is distinctive for its soft, pastel palette, typically occurring as botryoidal or globular masses in shades of pinkish-purple (cobaltoan), lavender, or delicate bluish-green, as well as colorless and yellow varieties. Historically, while the district has roots in colonial-era silver exploration, its reputation for specimen-grade smithsonite was solidified in the late 20th century, particularly from the El Refugio and Santa Anita mines. These operations transitioned from industrial base-metal extraction to the hand-recovery of mineral specimens, providing the world market with the characteristic "bubbly" pink and lavender clusters that collectors now associate with the region.

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