Carbonate of Zinc

This extraordinarily elegant specimen seems to vie with any mineral before found either abroad or at home, and I feel somewhat pleased in considering it as fairly the pride of my country:—the most precious jewel is enhanced in value by partial considerations, especially when rare. It is entirely new, and was found this year (1811) in Rutland cave mine near Matlock. It is of a nature pretty readily expressed in figure, and particularly in colour, except the satiny illinition, which is minutely distinct in the fibrous texture, to that it bids fair to be recognizable. These fibres are extremely thin and tender, and appear somewhat flattened and elongated crystals, somewhat analogous to the Red Oxide of Copper in fibrous octaëdrons. The divaricating fasciculi form info hemispheres so delicately tinned with Carbonate of Copper, that they can only be imitated by using a combination of that metal as pointed out by Nature’s own example. The small lighter green spots are probably of the same substance as the larger. The other dark green ones are merely Carbonate of Copper, the same as tab. 47, which is now outvied, although it was thought superb when first found, as is also the fine specimen (tab. 279) in the possession of Mr. Sheffield.