Smithsonite is a mineral ore of zinc, it belongs to the calcite group of minerals. Smithsonite is translucent in clarity, with glassy or pearly luster, it mostly occurs as blue (sometimes mistakenly is called "azurite"), green (apple-green to dark variety is called "herrerite") and pink stones. Beside these colors smithsonite is also found yellow, yellow-green, orange-yellow, purple, gray, brown, white, and colorless or faintly tinted in transmitted light.
The original name for the mineral of smithsonite was "calamine" but James Smithson (1754-1829), British chemist, mineralogist, and benefactor of the Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC, USA) distinguished that "calamine" was in fact three different minerals: hemimorphite, hydrozincite, and the zinc carbonate. So, the actual smithsonite was given that name in 1832 by Francois Sulpice Beudant in honor of James Smithson.
The other name for smithsonite are "Aztec Stone" (which is also a name for the green variety of turquoise), "Bonamite" (blue to green smithsonite and also a name for smithsonite in the gem trade), "Turkey-Fat Ore" - which is the old name for the bright yellow variety, and "Dry Bone Ore" - that describes the massive, porous, and dull variety.
Smithsonite is relatively soft for jewelry, though it's sometimes polished and used as an ornamental stone. Smithsonite rarely occurs in visible crystals. The only two locations to produce large crystals of significance are Tsumeb, Namibia, and Broken Hill, Zambia. Many of the rounded forms have a feathery or sparkling light effect.
Large crusts are found in Italy, Greece, Spain, Kazakhstan, Germany, Poland, Russia. Mexico has two outstanding localities which contain beautifully colored smithsonite, including deep pink and electric green colors. The US has many fine occurrences in the states of New Mexico, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, California, Utah and Wisconsin.
