Skip to content
Wulfenite on Smithsonite on Tennantite - Tsumeb, Namibia - Minerals - Green Mountain Minerals

Minerals from the Tsumeb Mine in Namibia are loved by collectors around the world. The sheer diversity of the deposit is extraordinary, with 350 different mineral species, 76 of which were new to science when discovered at Tsumeb. The quality of the crystallization of many different species is unusually fine at Tsumeb, so several popular species such as Smithsonite, Azurite, Cerussite, and Dioptase, are among the finest found anywhere on the planet. Yet another wonder of Tsumeb is the way several different species can be associated on a single specimen. This piece is a delightful example of associations, and the different species are assembled in a way that tells the story of the sequence of events that occurred during its formation. The first step was the formation of the hypogene matrix of the copper sulfide Tennantite as an aggregate of black tetrahedral crystals. Next, a supergene layer of glassy pink crystals of Smithsonite (zinc carbonate) was deposited on top of the Tennantite. Then the chemical composition of pocket fluid changed, and a second supergene, Wulfenite (lead molybdate) crystallized on top of the Smithsonite. The end result of this wonderful paragenesis is an artful arrangement of multiple species, a fine illustration of the unlimited variety found in this legendary mine.  

Locality
Tsumeb, Namibia

Additional Images