Hydrozincite: The mineral hydrozincite information and pictures

About

Hydrozincite is usually an accessory mineral, forming as masses and crusts on top of other minerals. Aside from fluorescent collectors, this mineral is generally uninteresting to most collectors. However, several localities have produced aesthetic forms of Hydrozincite in groupings of small spiked crystals as ball-shaped aggregates that can be aesthetic.

Hydrozincite is an alteration product of Smithsonite, Sphalerite, or Hemimorphite, and may fully or partially replace or crust over these minerals. It was named in 1853 by German mineralogist Gustav Adolph Kenngott (1818 – 1897) for its composition of water (hydro) and zinc. Hydrozincite is unrelated to the mineral Zincite.

Crystal Forms & Aggregates

Only in small or microscopic crystals which form radiating or acicular aggregates. Most often crusty, earthy, massive, fibrous, reniform, and stalactitic.

Other ID Marks

Fluoresces whitish-blue to blue in shortwave ultraviolet light

Complex Tests

Effervesces in hydrochloric acid, even if cold and diluted.

Striking Features

Fluorescence and association with other zinc minerals

Environment

As a secondary mineral in the oxidation zone of zinc deposits.

Uses

Hydrozincite is known among fluorescent mineral collectors due to its strong fluorescence. It is used as an ore of zinc if found in areas where an abundance of zinc minerals are present.

Noteworthy Localities

Some of the best crystal masses of Hydrozincite are from the Ojuela Mine, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico, where visible spiky crystals and well-formed balls have been found. Hydrozincite has also been found in Europe at Monteponi, Sardinia, Italy; Lavrion, Greece; and in the Preguica Mine, Moura, Portugal. Two important Asian localities are Guilin, Guangxi Province, China; and Yadz Province, Iran.

In the U.S., localities for Hydrozincite include Bisbee, Cochise Co., Arizona; Magdalena, Soccoro Co., New Mexico; the Yellow Pine Mine, Goodsprings District, Clark Co., Nevada; the Tin Mountain Mine, Custer Co., South Dakota; and Franklin and Ogdensburg, Sussex Co., New Jersey. Other occurrences are the Tintic District, Juab Co., Utah; Treece, Cherokee Co., Kansas; Joplin, Jasper Co., Missouri; and Balmat, St. Lawrence Co., New York.

A bizarre locality of this mineral is Lake Hopatcong, Sussex Co., New Jersey. Zinc ore was once barged across this lake on its way to be smelted for production from the nearby zinc mines of Franklin and Ogdensburg. Over the years, zinc ore fell into the lake. The water caused one of the ores, Zincite, to alter to Hydrozincite. When the lake was temporarily drained, Hydrozincite specimens were recovered from the lake bed.

Common Mineral Associations

Smithsonite, Hemimorphite, Aurichalcite, Limonite, Zincite, Calcite, Franklinite

Distinguishing Similar Minerals

Hydrozincite is difficult to confuse with other minerals due to its mode of occurrence and strong fluorescence.

Hydrozincite

Abouti

Crystal Forms & Aggregatesi

Other ID Marksi

Complex Testsi

Striking Featuresi

Environmenti

Usesi

Noteworthy Localitiesi

Common Mineral Associationsi

Distinguishing Similar Mineralsi

Photos