Mineralpedia Details for Tsumcorite

Named for The Tsumeb Corporation for their contributions to investigations of the Tsumeb orebody in Namibia, and quite possibly named after the Tsumcorp mine from which Tsumcorite gets its type locality. It is a rare secondary mineral in some arsenic-bearing, hydrothermal, leas-zinc deposits and occurs in the oxidized zones of these deposits. It can be found in a few localities in North America, Europe, and Africa.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/tsumcorite.pdf

Formula

PbZn₂(AsO₄)₂·2H₂O 

Crystal System

Monoclinic 

Crystal Habit

Radial, Spherical, Encrustations 

Color

yellow brown, reddish brown, lemon 

Streak

yellow 

Class

Monoclinic - Prismatic 

Hardness

4.5 

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Thousands of mustard yellow, bowtie-like sprays of Tsumcorite. Tsumeb is the standard for this species. These are from the 2nd oxidation zone in the Tsumeb mine.

Also a specimen with well-defined Tsumcorite as singles and clusters gracing the the Wulfenite crystals.