Zinc silicate hydroxide forming beautiful blue druzy coatings and radiating crystal fans. Named for its hemimorphic crystal habit. Color: White, blue, greenish, colorless. Luster: Vitreous. Streak: White. Cleavage: Perfect in one direction. Hardness: 5. Transparency: Transparent to translucent. Crystal system: Orthorhombic. Chemical formula: Zn₄Si₂O₇ OH ₂·H₂O. Specific gravity: 3.4-3.5. Formation: Forms in the oxidized zone of zinc ore deposits, often associated with smithsonite. Common geological settings: China, Mexico, Namibia, USA; found in oxidized zinc deposits. Common look-alikes and related entries: Smithsonite, Chrysocolla, Prehnite.
These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.
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GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T14:37:35.740712+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
IMA–CNMNC List of Mineral Names — International Mineralogical Association. Official mineral-name, nomenclature, and classification records.
Mineral ID Key — Mineralogical Society of America. Physical-property identification methods, repeat-testing guidance, and limitations.
Zinc silicate hydroxide forming beautiful blue druzy coatings and radiating crystal fans. Named for its hemimorphic crystal habit.
How can you identify Hemimorphite?
Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records colour: White, blue, greenish, colorless; lustre: Vitreous; streak: White; Mohs hardness: 5; cleavage: Perfect in one direction; crystal system: Orthorhombic; transparency: Transparent to translucent. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.
How does Hemimorphite form?
Forms in the oxidized zone of zinc ore deposits, often associated with smithsonite.
Where is Hemimorphite commonly found?
China, Mexico, Namibia, USA; found in oxidized zinc deposits.
What is Hemimorphite commonly confused with?
Hemimorphite may be confused with Smithsonite, Chrysocolla, Prehnite. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.
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