FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Paul]

Thank you for the help, Jorge, the crystals do indeed look like they may have a yellow core, but I'm not sure about smithsonite, I'll do the test Jordi suggested to confirm the type.

John, I'll make sure to label any "Selenite" specimens as "Gypsum (var. Selenite)"

[Debbie Woolf]

Is the matrix black or grey on the last specimen ? If black then yes Kalahari but if grey possibly Tsumeb.

[Paul]

The Matrix is a Greyish color.

[Debbie Woolf]

Specimen-198-Unknown

It kind of reminds me of a Smithsonite specimen I have.

[Paul]

hmm, That looks very similar

[Ed Huskinson]

Hmmm. I dunno Debbie. It looks like cobaltoan smithsonite, but the matrix does not look like the typical greyish dolomitic limestone. Still, it is a breccia pipe, and the appearance of things (like the matrix) can change because of the throughput of the mineralizing solutions. I suppose. I'd need to hold it, heft it a bit, and put my hand lens on it to make a better stab at it's identity.

Keep 'em coming. We all like to look at rocks (well, minerals, but you know what I mean).

Ed