Smithsonite var. Cadmium rich (New/old Find)

Item Description

Rich citron-yellow, translucent, waxy luster, banded, bubbly, botryoidal smithsonite encrusts the banded underlying layers of gray fluorite around the matrix core with sulfides on this sculptural and excellent specimen from a circa 2005 find at this obscure locality in Yunnan Province (but only brought out to market the last 2 years in China). The yellow color is thought to be due to cadmiun content, as with yellow smithsonite from Tsumeb, Italy, and Mexico. The yellow smithsonite GLOWS, when back lit. Contacting on one end and on the out-of-sight back side is noted, but there is little actual damage and is certainly only a modest detraction to this colorful piece. These are VERY similar to Italian smithsonites, from the 1800s, that cost an arm and a leg! And, those are super rare on the market. This new find really sets a new standard and gives the rest of us a chance to acquire one in this style at a reasonable price point.