Hemimorphite – natural and collector minerals

Hemimorphite - a silicate mineral that was historically mined from the upper parts of zinc and lead ores together with smithsonite. Both compounds were originally considered the same mineral and were classified as calamine. The name comes from the Greek "hemi" - half and "morphe" - shape (according to the shape of the crystals). Hemimorphite most often forms needle-shaped or fan-shaped aggregates of thin, colorless, blade-shaped crystals; or as blue, blue-green crusts of spherical and kidney-shaped shapes.

Hemimorphite - a mineral of zinc deposits
Hemimorphite is a zinc silicate with the chemical formula Zn₄Si₂O₇(OH)₂·H₂O. It often occurs together with smithsonite and forms a significant part of zinc ores.

Appearance and properties of hemimorphite
Hemimorphite has a glassy to silky luster, a hardness of 4.5–5 on the Mohs scale and typically appears in beautiful blue, turquoise or greenish shades. It occurs as stalactite aggregates, crusts or translucent crystals.

Hemimorphite deposits
Hemimorphite is found in many locations around the world - significant sources are in China, Mexico, the USA, Namibia and Italy. In the Czech Republic, it was found, for example, in the Příbram region.

History and uses of hemimorphite
The mineral was known as early as the 18th century and is used primarily as a collector's and decorative stone. Thanks to its attractive colour, it is highly valued among mineralogists and collectors.