Blue Hemimorphite - DR Congo - 5.2 cm / 57g / BJ838 crystal minerals

Hemimorphite belongs to the group of silicates-sorosilicates. It contains zinc, silicon and water. Its chemical formula is Zn4Si2O7(OH)2.H2O.

Hemimorphite has prismatic crystals, but it can also be mammillary, radiating, massive or fibrous.

The color of Hemimorphite varies from white to blue-green to yellow. Its hardness is greater than 4.5/10 on the Mohs scale (10 for diamond) and its density is less than 3.5 (1 for water). The line on porcelain is white.

The etymology of Hemimorphite is related to the shape of its crystals: "half" and "form" which describes crystal summits with two apexes (tops).