Smithsonite - El Refugio Mine, Choix, Sinaloa, Mexico
Contributed by: Chris Clemens
minID: F2V-FH9
Date: May 2nd, 2026
Locality: El Refugio Mine, Choix, Choix Municipality, Sinaloa, Mexico (See on Mindat)
Size: 37 x 32 x 56 mm
Weight: 115 g
Description:
The El Refugio Mine, located in Choix, in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, is a notable source of beautiful specimens of the zinc carbonate mineral smithsonite. These specimens are often very colorful and display well under normal light. Some of this material also shows a deep, intense fluorescent response under shortwave UV, usually in colors of blue and pink. This is such a specimen. It consists of botryoidal pink smithsonite on a larger mass of grey pitted smithsonite. Under shortwave UV it shows a moderately bright, but intense saturated pink and blue, fluorescent response.
Originally posted by Chris Clemens on Nature's Rainbows in 2018.
Summary of luminescence responses:
Smithsonite (Mindat) (RRUFF)
- Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Blue
- Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Pink