The facts
What hemimorphite actually is
The species behind hemimorphite is hemimorphite, Zn₄Si₂O₇(OH)₂·H₂O; it forms in the orthorhombic system.
Cu²⁺ substituting for Zn gives the blue and green; Fe²⁺ green, Fe³⁺ brown is responsible for the colour — and the chromophore, not the name, is what decides whether a colour is stable.
On the instruments it reads a refractive index of 1.614–1.636 and a specific gravity of about 3.30–3.50, with perfect {110} cleavage.
Where hemimorphite comes from
Commercial material comes from Wenshan Mine, Yunnan, China, Santa Eulalia, Chihuahua, Mexico, Mapimí, Durango, Mexico and Nerchinsk, Transbaikalia, Russia.
Different localities give different colour and different clarity, and the trade prices them differently. We state which one.
How hemimorphite is treated
Usually untreated; porous botryoidal material is sometimes resin-stabilised, and dyed substitutes exist. The blue Chinese botryoidal material is the commercially significant form and is frequently mis-sold as turquoise or smithsonite.
We state the treatment on every stone, including when the honest answer is that it cannot be determined. A treatment disclosed is a fact; a treatment discovered later is a refund.
What hemimorphite is confused with
Watch for Smithsonite, Turquoise, Chrysocolla, Dyed howlite and Aragonite — these are what turn up sold under this name.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.614–1.636 and specific gravity 3.30–3.50 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What hemimorphite is used for
The trades that buy hemimorphite are jewellery, carving and sculpture, decorative objects and mineral collecting. They do not want the same thing, and they do not pay in the same unit.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat, by the block or by the piece.
Durability and care
Hardness 5; cleavage perfect {110}. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What hemimorphite costs
Expect roughly $2–40/ct, depending on quality.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is hemimorphite treated, and how?
Usually untreated; porous botryoidal material is sometimes resin-stabilised, and dyed substitutes exist. The blue Chinese botryoidal material is the commercially significant form and is frequently mis-sold as turquoise or smithsonite.
Where does hemimorphite come from?
Wenshan Mine, Yunnan, China, Santa Eulalia, Chihuahua, Mexico, Mapimí, Durango, Mexico and Nerchinsk, Transbaikalia, Russia. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is hemimorphite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 5 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does hemimorphite cost?
Indicatively $2–40/ct. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is hemimorphite confused with?
Most often Smithsonite, Turquoise, Chrysocolla, Dyed howlite and Aragonite. A refractive index of 1.614–1.636 and a specific gravity near 3.30–3.50 separate it quickly.
What is hemimorphite used for besides jewellery?
carving and sculpture, decorative objects and mineral collecting. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for hemimorphite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about hemimorphite