HYDROZINCITE



Hydrozincite, a zinc carbonate hydroxide mineral, was first reported from Franklin by Palache. Frondel (1972) noted its occurrence at Sterling Hill as an alteration of zincite and sphalerite. Local hydrozincite remains largely unstudied. It occurs as thin films and opaque white powdery patches and as white crusts of pearly-lustered platy crystals. It is readily identified by its strong blue fluorescence in shortwave ultraviolet.
At Franklin, Palache (1935) noted hydrozincite associated with calcite as a replacement of sphalerite and pyrite. At Sterling Hill, hydrozincite was noted by Frondel to form as post-mining dripstones. The specimens observed by [Dunn] appear to be formed by the alteration of zincite or possibly sphalerite. It has been found in recent times with calcite and sphalerite on the 1750 level, with adelite on the 800 level, and is not uncommon near altered zincite. An occurrence with oxidized sulfides was described by Jenkins and Misiur (1994). (Dunn, 1995)


 Location Found: Franklin and Ogdensburg
     
 
 Year Discovered: 1853
     
 Formula: Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6
 Essential Elements: Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Zinc
 All Elements in Formula: Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Zinc
     
 IMA Status: Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
     
Fluorescent Mineral Properties

 Shortwave UV light: Bright blue
 Mid wave UV light: Moderately weak gray, white, and pale yellow
 Longwave UV light: Moderately weak gray, white, and pale yellow
     
 To find out more about this mineral at minDat's website, follow this link   Hydrozincite

     
 References:
Dunn, Pete J. (1995). Franklin and Sterling Hill New Jersey: the world's most magnificent mineral deposits. Franklin, NJ.: The Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society. p.621

Frondel, Clifford (1972). The minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill, a checklist. NY.: John Willey & Sons. p.63


The Picking Table References
 PT Issue and PageDescription / Comment
View IssueV. 59, No. 2 - Fall 2018, pg. 20Hydrothermal Mineral Deposition in a Rock-Dominated Fluid System at Sterling Hill, New Jersey - Hydrozincite
View IssueV. 57, No. 2 - Fall 2016, pg. 20Fluorescent Minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill, N.J., Part 1, Richard C. Bostwick - Hydrozincite
View IssueV. 45, No. 1 - Spring 2004, pg. 12The Art of Fluorescent Mineral Photography, With Special Attention to the Minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill Photographing the More Popular Franklin and Sterling Hill Fluorescent Minerals - Hydrozincite
View IssueV. 35, No. 2 - Fall 1994, pg. 21A Complex Base-Metal Assemblage From the Sterling Mine New Jersey - Hydrozincite
View IssueV. 33, No. 2 - Fall 1992, pg. 11The Check List of Franklin-Sterling Hill Fluorescent Minerals - Hydrozincite (Fluorescent Info)
View IssueV. 30, No, 2 - Fall 1989, pg. 9Hydrozincite in Vuggy Dolomite, Buckwheat Dump, Franklin, New Jersey
View IssueV. 18, No. 2 - September 1977, pg. 15The Fluorescent Minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill, NJ by Richard C. Bostwick - Hydrozincite
View IssueV. 13, No. 2 - August 1972, pg. 12The Fluorescent Minerals of Franklin/Ogdensburg Area by Frank Z. Edwards - Hydrozincite (Fluorescent Info)
View IssueV. 7, No. 2 - August 1966, pg. 10The Minerals of Sterling Hill 1962-65 by Frank Z. Edwards - Hydrozincite (small article)
     
Images

     
Hydrozincite coating, willemite, calcite, franklinite and zincite ore from Sterling Hill MineHydrozincite coating, willemite, calcite, franklinite and zincite ore from Sterling Hill Mine under shortwave UV Light
Hydrozincite coating, willemite, calcite, franklinite and zincite ore, from Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, NJ. Photo by JVF.
Hydrozincite coating, willemite, calcite, franklinite and zincite ore, from Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, NJ under shortwave UV light. The hydrozincite fluoresces blue, calcite red and the willemite green, franklinite is non-fluorescent. Photo by JVF.


Hydrozincite coating on calcite from the Buckwheat dump Franklin, NJHydrozincite coating on calcite from the Buckwheat dump Franklin, NJ under longwave UV Light
Hydrozincite coating on calcite from the Buckwheat dump Franklin, NJ. 5" x 2 1/4". Photo by WP.
Hydrozincite coating on calcite from the Buckwheat dump Franklin, NJ under longwave UV light. The hydrozincite fluoresces weak blue and the calcite very weak red. 5" x 2 1/4". Photo by WP.
Hydrozincite coating on calcite from the Buckwheat dump Franklin, NJ under shortwave UV Light
Hydrozincite coating on calcite from the Buckwheat dump Franklin, NJ under shortwave UV light. The hydrozincite fluoresces light blue and the calcite orange red. 5" x 2 1/4". Photo by WP.







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