Parádsasvárite is a rare zinc carbonate hydroxide mineral occurring as delicate, acicular, white-to-colorless crystal clusters. It is primarily known from its type locality in the ore-bearing veins of the Mátra Mountains in Hungary. Collectors prize it for its unique habit and rarity compared to the more common smithsonite.
Is this parádsasvárite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch parádsasvárite with a known reference. Parádsasvárite sits at Mohs ~2-3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous (crystals), silky (sections of globules), dull (aggregate surfaces).
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white with pale bluish tint, pale beige aggregates.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: acicular crystals, radiated aggregates.
Often confused with
Parádsasvárite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Smithsonite is the harder of the two (Mohs 4-4.5 vs. ~2-3).
How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous (crystals), silky (sections of globules), dull (aggregate surfaces) on Parádsasvárite and pearly, silky to dull or earthy in aggregates on Hydrozincite.
Often found alongside parádsasvárite
Minerals reported to co-occur with parádsasvárite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Zn₂(CO₃)(OH)₂
- Mohs hardness
- ~2-3
- Density
- 4.104 g/cm³
- Colors
- White with pale bluish tintPale beige aggregates
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous (crystals), silky (sections of globules), dull (aggregate surfaces)
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Acicular crystals, radiated aggregates
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- As a secondary oxidation product of sphalerite and chalcopyrite in small cavities in calcite veins cutting argillized and pyritized andesites
Where rockhounds find parádsasvárite
Classic worldwide localities
- Nagy-Lápafő area, Parádsasvár, Mátra Mountains, and the Andrássy-I. mine, Rudaba´nya, Hungary
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: As a secondary oxidation product of sphalerite and chalcopyrite in small cavities in calcite veins cutting argillized and pyritized andesites. If you start seeing smithsonite, hydrozincite, hemimorphite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: acicular crystals, radiated aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify parádsasvárite?+
Where is parádsasvárite found?+
What rocks look like parádsasvárite?+
What minerals are found with parádsasvárite?+
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Find parádsasvárite on the map
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