Home > Mexico III Ojuela I – January 12 > MS1735 Hemimorphite

Hemimorphite - Sold


Hemimorphite is a hydrated zinc silicate. While known earlier as calamine, Kenngott (1853) assigned hemimorphite its currently accepted name, for its pronounced hemimorphism. Hemimorphism is observed in crystals lacking a center of symmetry, wherin one end of a crystal has different crystal forms than the opposite end. In other words, terminations do not match in hemimorphic crystals.

This specimen is a radiating aggregate of thick hemimorphite crystals to perhaps 1.5 cm long. The hemimorphite is bright and stark white. This piece dates to the 1960s; recent discoveries of hemimorphite at Ojuela have different appearance. This specimen was part of the Charles Trantham (1936-2020) estate.