Hemimorphite Gemstone: Properties, Meanings, Value & More

Hemimorphite is a rare mineral and popular collector gemstone found worldwide. The mineral occurs in a range of hues and habits, some famously eye-catching.

Though not the most abundant, greens and blues hemimorphite are the most popular hemimorphite colors, with shades like robin’s egg, sky, and electric blue. Some blue hemimorphite gems even resemble Paraíba tourmaline!

Here at Gem Rock Auctions, we’ve spent decades building our business on learning about and curating a vast selection of gems and minerals, including underrated treasures like hemimorphite.

Today, we’re using that knowledge to teach you all there is to know about hemimorphite's uses, properties, meanings, prices, and more.

What Is Hemimorphite?

Hemimorphite is a unique semi-precious gemstone thanks to one rare trait: it doesn’t look the same at both vertical ends (like most crystals do). That’s also where the mineral’s name comes from!

Hemimorphite’s name derives from Greek hemi meaning "half" and morph for "shape." This is an homage to the gem’s unique terminations: one end is rather blunt, dominated by a pedion (single face), while the other is more pointed and pyramidal.

Astrologically, hemimorphite is beneficial to those born during Libra season. Some hemimorphites resemble tourmaline, making them an alternative to the traditional October birthstone.

When it comes to identifying the mineral, what are the distinctive physical and optical properties of hemimorphite gemstones?

Pictured above: Vibrant naturally blue hemimorphite specimen displaying botryoidal habit; From Wenshan Mine in China | Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Hemimorphite Specifications & Characteristics

As a hydrated zinc silicate hydroxide, the chemical formula for hemimorphite is Zn4(Si2O7)(OH)2·H2O. The molecular formula of hemimorphite is H6O9Si2Zn4. Most of hemimorphite’s composition — around 65 to 70 percent — is zinc oxide.

Common impurities in hemimorphite are iron and copper.

The most similar minerals to hemimorphite are the zinc carbonate smithsonite and the anhydrous zinc silicate willemite.

In terms of habits, hemimorphite crystals are usually thin, tabular, and striated; the crystals sometimes form fan-shaped, sheaf-like, or coxcomb aggregates. The mineral also occurs in stalactic, mammillary, granular, reniform, massive, fibrous, and druzy habits.

One of the most famous forms is botryoidal hemimorphite, a shape resembling grape clusters that often happens when the crystal forms inside a cavity.

Rarely, hemimorphite crystals display twinning on {101}.

Here are all the hemimorphite properties listed:

• Mohs hardness: 4.5-5

• Color: White, colorless, blue, blue-green, green, gray, yellow, brown

• Crystal structure: Orthorhombic

• Luster: Vitreous, sub-vitreous, greasy, pearly, silky, sub-adamantine, or adamantine

• Transparency: Translucent to opaque; Transparent in small crystals

• Refractive index: 1.613-1.636

• Density: 3.30-3.50 (usually 3.45-3.47)

• Cleavage: Perfect on {110}, Poor/Indistinct on {101} & rarely {001}

• Fracture: Irregular/uneven or subconchoidal

• Streak: White

• Luminescence: Sometimes fluorescence - weak blue or yellow in SW-UV; Sometimes phosphorescence - white or pale yellow in SW-UV, LW-UV, and MW-UV

• Pleochroism: None

• Birefringence: 0.022

• Dispersion: 0.020 (moderate to strong)

Pictured above: Colorless, prismatic hemimorphite crystals with calcite on matrix; Found in Durango, Mexico | Image credit: Ivar Leidus, CC-BY-SA-4.0

Hemimorphite History

We mentioned earlier how the name “hemimorphite” came from the mineral’s uniquely different terminations. This name came from German mineralogist Gustav Adolph Kenngott in 1853.

In his description, Kenngott noted that a) other minerals display hemimorphism but it’s a rare trait, and b) he chose the name “hemimorphite” in part because of confusion surrounding the name “calamine.”

But what’s calamine?

The mineral name “calamine” came from Swedish chemist Johan Gottschalk Wallerius in his groundbreaking handbook Mineralogia eller Mineralriket (Swedish for Mineralogy, or the Mineral Kingdom) published in 1747.

Wallerius and many mineralogists after him used “calamine” for various secondary zinc ores, usually hemimorphite or smithsonite but sometimes stones like willemite, sauconite, or hydrozincite.

The term “calamine” ultimately derived from the Medieval Latin term calamina, coined by alchemists from cadmia, itself derived from the Greek term kadmeia (the root of “cadmium”) for various zinc ores.

From Calamine to Hemimorphite

In 1803, British mineralogist James Smithson — who helped establish the Smithsonian Museum — proved that “calamine” was actually two minerals: zinc carbonate and zinc silicate. French mineralogist François Sulpice Beudant named that zinc carbonate smithsonite after Smithson in 1832.

We also get the type locality (in a roundabout way) from Smithson’s 1803 paper, as he credits the nickname “electric calamine” to Rene Just Haüy’s discovery of pyroelectric properties on crystals from Rézbánya (now the Băiţa mining district) in Romania.

What about calamine lotion?

Calamine lotion is an anti-itching medication primarily made of zinc oxide and ferric oxide. It dates back to ancient times and was once made from powdered “calamine” — which specific “calamine” mineral is unclear, though.

In 1962, the International Mineralogical Association (IMA) officially discredited the name “calamine,” establishing “hemimorphite” and “smithsonite” for the respective minerals instead.

But what’s in a name? By any other name, hemimorphite would still look just as sweet.

Okay, enough poetry puns. Are there any metaphysical properties or beliefs associated with hemimorphite?

Hemimorphite Meaning & History

Hemimorphite has been around for ages! In fact, the ancient Roman scholar Pliny the Elder wrote about the mineral in his literature under the name “galmei.”

The stone was named in 1853 by German geologist and mineralogist Adolph Kenngott after its hemimorphic properties.

Before Kenngott, hemimorphite (a zinc silicate) and smithsonite (a zinc carbonate) were believed to be a single mineral species. Both were known as "calamine" until the early 1800s.

What triggered the distinction between the two? It started during early studies on the minerals’ pyroelectricity. Both French mineralogist René Just Haüy and English chemist James Smithson observed that while some “calamine” specimens exhibited strong piezoelectric properties, others didn’t.

Smithsonite eventually earned its mineral classification in 1832, but what about the remaining “calamine” mineral?

Kenngott unofficially renamed calamine “hemimorphite” in 1853, but the mineral name “calamine” remained widely used until about the 1930s.

It wasn’t until the 1960s that mineralogists finally determined hemimorphite’s chemical composition and formally accepted its new name.

But what’s in a name? By any other name, hemimorphite would still look just as sweet.

Okay, enough poetry puns. Ready to dive into the metaphysical?

Hemimorphite Healing Properties

You can harness the energy and vibrations of most crystals as healing stones to support your physical, emotional, and spiritual self.

So, what does hemimorphite do for you?

In addition to being a beautiful crystal to display, hemimorphite healing powers purportedly include delivering wellness to your body at all levels.

Physically, what are hemimorphite gemstones used for?

Physical Healing

Hemimorphite is believed to help treat:

• STDs

• Warts

• Ulcerative disorders

• Hormonal imbalances

• Burns

• Restless leg syndrome

• Hormone-related headaches

• PMS symptoms

The mineral is also said to support weight loss, pain relief, blood disorders, cardiovascular conditions, cellular memory, and cellular structures.

Emotional Healing

Emotionally, hemimorphite is a crystal known as the “Stone of Empathy,” inspiring selflessness and compassion. It amplifies positive emotions, elevates your mood, and boosts energy and enthusiasm.

Hemimorphite’s benefits are thought to bring you a light-hearted and jovial presence known for sparking passion, creativity, gratitude, and happiness.

Spiritual Healing

Ever wish you had a better way to connect to higher spiritual realms?

The hemimorphite spiritual meaning is one of heightened awareness and intuition. Meditating with hemimorphite may enhance psychic visions or awaken empathic abilities you didn’t even know you had.

The gem is also known as a chakra stone attuned to the four highest chakras (or energy points):

• Crown: Higher Spiritual Connections and Expanded Consciousness

• Third Eye: Intuition, Introspection, and Psychic Ability

• Throat: Communication and Emotional Intelligence

• Heart: Relationships, Self-Love, and Healing

Hemimorphite activates and balances these chakra points, keeping them in harmony.

Phew! That’s one transformative gem! Next, what is hemimorphite worth?

Hemimorphite Gemstone Properties

Every gem has unique characteristics that help experts determine its value. Hemimorphite’s value comes down to its color, cut, clarity, transparency, and size.

Color

Without any impurities present, pure hemimorphite is white or colorless. More rarely, it can appear blue, green, amber, and gray. These shade variations result from impurities:

• Ferrous Iron (Fe2+): Green

• Ferric Iron (Fe3+): Brown

• Copper (Cu2+): Blue or blue-green

Specimens with bright, saturated colors — especially bright blue — are more expensive and sought-after. The famous robin’s egg or electric blue color is partly valuable due to its rarity, as having just the right amount of copper and/or iron impurities to form that color is rare.

Additionally, most hemimorphite specimens have agate-like color banding, so uniform coloring in a vibrant blue or green color is extra rare.

Cut

Due to its brittle tenacity, perfect cleavage, and resistance to polish, hemimorphite can be a difficult stone for lapidaries to work with.

Hemimorphite is most often sold rough (uncut). When cut, it’s typically done so for collector gems.

The crystal’s moderate hardness, perfect cleavage, and maze of hairline fractures make faceted cuts difficult and rare — not to mention the rarity of facetable hemimorphite material.

You’re more likely to find hemimorphite cut into cabochons, as this cut maximizes the most carat weight and it’s easier to find massive material suitable for cabochons. Hemimorphite cabochons with greater color, transparency, and clarity are more valuable.

Clarity & Transparency

Clarity is the degree of visible inclusions in a gem, which can lower its transparency and value. Hemimorphite crystals with good enough transparency and clarity to become faceted gems are quite rare, making them more valuable.

Hemimorphite material suitable for cabochons is slightly more common but still rare. Most are more opaque and filled with hairline fractures, lowering their value compared to more transparent, clean specimens.

That said, a hemimorphite with abundant microscopic inclusions that still has a vibrant blue color and good transparency can still be valuable.

One example: a semi transparent, electric blue hemimorphite cabochon submitted to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in 2020. It was mistaken for Paraiba tourmaline and the gemologists observed “parallel tubes, fluid inclusions, and white granular flake-like inclusions” under a microscope, but it ended up being hemimorphite.

Carat Weight

Given the rarity of gem-quality material, most cut hemimorphites are small. Some hemimorphite cabochons have been many inches long, but faceted hemimorphites typically go up to 3 carats max.

Occasionally, large, vibrantly colored hemimorphite rough has been found. One example is a 234-carat greenish-blue fibrous rough (sent with an 8x6 mm translucent greenish-blue cabochon) submitted to GIA in 1998. Both ended up being hemimorphite.

Treatments

Although hemimorphite is rarely enhanced, it may be impregnated to improve its stability. This treatment involves immersing the stone in permeable colorless glue to fill its hairline fractures. Not only does this strengthen the gem, but it simultaneously improves transparency and allows sellers to produce larger sizes.

Some vibrant specimens may have you wondering: is blue hemimorphite dyed? Usually, no. Naturally vibrant blue hemimorphites do come from a few locations. But a recent scandal has led to more skepticism.

In a nutshell, dealers started selling brilliant blue hemimorphite supposedly from Mapimi, Mexico in 2020. The locale never produced blue crystals that vibrant before, so suspicions arose and testing began.

The results? It turned out that the blue specimens were actually colorless hemimorphite dyed with Phthalocyanine Blue BN, a synthetic pigment that’s stable, hard to detect, and quite stable.

You can avoid shady dealers selling dyed blue hemimorphite by knowing where true blue hemimorphite comes from.

On that note, where is hemimorphite primarily found geographically, and what are its main mining locations?

Hemimorphite Formation & Sources

Hemimorphite typically occurs in veins and beds of stratified calcareous (layered, calcium-rich) rocks. It’s mined from the upper parts of zinc and lead ores.

Geologists refer to hemimorphite as a secondary mineral, meaning it forms when other primary minerals are altered. In this case, zinc-bearing minerals like sphalerite are oxidized through weathering.

Hemimorphite itself may alter into other minerals like hodgkinsonite via metamorphism.

Minerals commonly found with hemimorphite include:

• Smithsonite

• Sphalerite

• Galena

• Cerussite

• Anglesite

• Calcite

• Aurichalcite

• Rosasite

• Hydrozincite

• Chrysocolla

• Wulfenite

• Quartz

• Veszelyite

• Mimetite

Geographically, where is hemimorphite found?

Mining Locations

Hemimorphite occurs all over the world, but few localities produce gem-quality specimens.

Mexico is currently the only known source of facetable hemimorphite crystals. Gem-quality hemimorphite also comes from:

• China

• Italy

• USA (New Jersey)

Most recently, highly-desired, vibrant blue gem-quality hemimorphite was discovered in the southern Republic of the Congo. These specimens weighed between 10-20 kg (22-44 lbs), but only small portions were suitable for cabochons.

Other noteworthy localities for interesting rough hemimorphite specimens include:

• Algeria

• Australia

• Austria

• Belgium

• England

• Germany

• Italy

• Poland

• Romania

• Russia (Siberia)

• Sardinia

• Thailand

• Namibia

• Madagascar

• USA (Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania)

Mining locations? Check. Now let’s talk price!

Hemimorphite Price & Value

Hemimorphite Price & Value

In terms of cost, hemimorphite tends to fall somewhere in the middle between less expensive gems to much pricier ones.

Some collectors seek out specimens that will cover the full range of hemimorphite colors. As such, these gems will typically fetch higher prices.

However, there are options that work for almost every price point.

Rough hemimorphite generally costs between $0.05 to $0.15 per carat. Higher-quality specimens can run you between $0.30 to $0.50 per carat.

Due to their rarity and delicacy, faceted hemimorphite fetches higher prices costing anywhere between $20 to $120 per carat.

Cabochons are more common and typically vary between $0.40 to $5 per carat. Higher-end pieces can garner prices as high as $12.50 to $20 per carat.

You’re more likely to find hemimorphite jewelry from independent sellers and designers versus chain stores or mass-market retailers. As far as pricing goes, it usually varies on what alloys and other gems are incorporated within designs.

• Low to mid-end rings generally cost around $30 to $70. Higher-quality pieces can cost anywhere between $100 to $300. However, some pieces have garnered prices as high as $4,000 and even $11,000.

• Beaded bracelets typically run you anywhere between $8 to $110.

• Hemimorphite pendants generally vary in price between $10 to $120.

Now that you know where hemimorphite falls in your budget, let’s master caring for your gemstones.

Hemimorphite Care and Maintenance

Hemimorphite is quite delicate, so attention to care is crucial.

What are some tips for caring for and preserving the beauty of hemimorphite specimens?

Keep hemimorphite from coming into contact with:

• Steam or ultrasonic cleaners

• Household chemicals

• Harsh detergents or acids

• Perfumes

• Hairspray

To clean your hemimorphite, use warm water, mild detergent, and a soft-bristled brush. Dry it thoroughly and store it in a soft pouch or fabric-lined box to prevent scratches or breakage. Never leave your hemimorphite submerged in water as it may fade.

Opt for hemimorphite jewelry with protective settings, and remember to remove it before exercising, playing sports, or performing household chores.

Is hemimorphite toxic? It’s generally safe to handle. Breaking or burning gems, however, could release dust and particles in the air that are unsafe to breathe in and ingest.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key characteristics and properties of hemimorphite gemstones?

The following traits are key to knowing how to identify hemimorphite:

• Pyroelectric: Hemimorphite generates an electrical charge when heated.

• Different Terminations: The two distinct terminations on hemimorphite crystals are rarely seen in other mineral species.

• Relatively Low Hardness: Hemimorphite only ranks at 4.5 to 5 on the Mohs scale.

These traits can help you distinguish hemimorphite from other gemstones, too.

How can I differentiate genuine hemimorphite specimens from similar-looking minerals?

Hemimorphite (especially blue specimens) has some famous look-alikes, but they each have properties that distinguish them from hemimorphite:

1. Smithsonite: Higher density (4.42 to 4.44); Uniaxial negative (-) optic sign

2. Larimar: Triclinic crystal system; Lower density (2.62 to 2.90)

3. Blue Aragonite: Lower hardness (3.5 to 4)

4. Turquoise: Triclinic crystal system; Lower density (2.40-2.90)

5. Chrysocolla: Monoclinic crystal system; Lower hardness (2 to 4); Lower density (1.93-2.40)

Larimar and hemimorphite are often mixed up, with blue hemimorphite sometimes labeled “Chinese larimar” by shady sellers. But larimar is a much rarer gemstone that only comes from the Dominican Republic.

Another potential hemimorphite simulant is partially devitrified glass — meaning glass that’s been treated to be at least partly crystallized.

Pictured above: Larimar

Is hemimorphite rare?

Hemimorphite is a common mineral, but hemimorphite gemstones are rare. Most gem-quality material is cut into cabochons — faceted hemimorphite is quite rare, with facetable material only found in Mexico.

How does hemimorphite's color range vary, and are there any notable color variations?

Most hemimorphite crystals are dull shades of gray, brown, or white. It can also be yellow, but the most sought-after shades are blues and greens. Blue and white color banding is also common in blue hemimorphite stones.

What are the primary uses of hemimorphite in jewelry making and other applications?

Given hemimorphite’s relatively low hardness and perfect cleavage, jewelry isn’t as common. You can still find hemimorphite in less vulnerable styles, though, like pendants and earrings.

More often, hemimorphite uses are industrial. Historically, hemimorphite and smithsonite were mixed with copper to make brass. The two minerals have also been used in powdered form for centuries in medicinal balms, mostly used for absorbing moisture from irritated skin.

Today, the primary use of hemimorphite is as a zinc ore. The main uses for zinc are in metals (like alloys for brass production or galvanized coatings), rubbers, UV protection (sunscreen), and medicines.

Hemimorphite also has potential for future use in removing toxic substances like arsenic from the environment, as evidenced by a 2009 study.

Are there any famous or significant pieces featuring hemimorphite gemstones?

Some hemimorphite specimens have gained fame among collectors and historians for their quality and source. For example, some specimens from the historic Sa Duchessa Mine in Italy are impressively large with saturated blue hues. Hemimorphite crystals from the Ojuela Mine in Mexico are also known for being among the longest known, while hemimorphite aggregates from the Malipo Mine in China are famous for their sky blue color and hemisphere shape.

Magnify the Positive Vibrations with Hemimorphite!

With all life's stresses, it can be hard to remember to focus on all the good. Hemimorphite delivers a gentle nudge in a positive direction — reminding you to ground yourself in gratitude, empathy, and joy.

The mineral’s transcendent abilities are matched by its exterior beauty, beloved by jewelers, gem collectors, and crystal healers alike. Ready to give hemimorphite a home in your crystal collection and experience its awe for yourself?

Buy hemimorphite gemstones today!