Smithsonite

specimen number:
8821974

location:
Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia

description:
Colorless crystals of smithsonite to 0.4 cm in size on matrix. Minimal cleaving present, nice example for this Australian classic.

Broken Hill, located in far-western New South Wales, Australia, is home to one of the largest and most famous silver-lead-zinc ore deposits in the world. Geologically, the massive orebody formed approximately 1.7 billion years ago as a submarine sedimentary-exhalative deposit that was subsequently subjected to intense high-grade metamorphism and complex folding during the ancient Olarian Orogeny. Mineralogically, it is often called a mineralogical rainforest, boasting hundreds of distinct mineral species including major economic ores like galena and sphalerite alongside numerous rare secondary minerals. Historically, commercial mining began after a boundary rider named Charles Rasp staked a claim on the rugged outcrop in 1883, leading directly to the founding of the Broken Hill Proprietary Company, known today as BHP, and establishing a legendary mining community that has operated continuously for over a century.

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