Or third. Or fourth. And so on.
I like to see interesting habits, features, associations, and the like on mineral specimens. Sometimes wondering just how things came about. Nature is indeed wonderful.
This specimen is one of those.
There has been at least two pulses, possibly three, of fluids from which the smithsonite has grown. The first is evident as a yellow phantom inside the larger crystals. This has been coated by an iron oxide/hydroxide. Then finally, smaller crystals of smithsonite have grown over the surface of the earlier ones. Neat!
Below: Smithsonite, 79 Mine, Chilito, Hayden area, Banner District, Dripping Spring Mts, Gila Co., Arizona, USA. Width of view 3mm.
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