Chris Clemens
Jan 12, 2017
Normally I’m not a big fan of cutting or polishing rocks, as I prefer them in their original, natural condition. I’ll make an exception with this one though. It’s from Goodsprings, Clark Co., Nevada, and is a cut end slab of dolomitized limestone with an outer coating of brightly fluorescent hydrozincite. Hydrozincite is a zinc carbonate hydroxide, and occurs as an oxidation product of zinc ores, typically forming masses or crusts. Under short wave UV the hydrozincite fluoresces bright blue/white. The interior cut surface reveals fluorescent veins of hydrozincite following the internal cracks in the limestone host rock. The size of this specimen is 9.5 x 7.6 x 2.0cm.
Located in the Spring Mountains, approximately 40 miles southwest of Las Vegas, the Goodsprings area was mined extensively for lead, zinc, copper, gold, silver, and other minerals.