Talk:Calamine (mineral)

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Dates[edit]

The article currently claims calamine was discovered to be zinc carbonate and zinc silicate in "the late 18th century", then goes on to say this actually happened in the year 1803. Does this mean it was widely suspected for some decades but not proved until then? In any case, where are the sources? 64.60.100.162 (talk) 00:16, 25 February 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Yes ... confusion. Anyway the Smithsonian ref says that Smithson in 1802 showed that calamine was not simply zinc oxide, but zinc carbonate mineral(s). The mineral smithsonite was later named for him in 1832. However, the silicate mineral hemimorphite was not identified until 1832 Mindat. So the sentence: During the late 18th century it was discovered that what had been thought to be one ore was actually two distinct minerals: seems to be unsupported and the 18th century would need to be changed to 19th century. However I don't see a ref for what was referred to prior to the recognition of hemimorphite. The Smithsonian ref simply states the Hauy called calamine zinc oxides. Kinda suspect that altho mineralogists recognized that calamine was more than one mineral in the early 1800s, miners reports likely continued to call secondary zinc ores calamine. Vsmith (talk) 01:35, 25 February 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Changed to early 19th century based on cited Smithsonian ref. Vsmith (talk) 01:41, 25 February 2013 (UTC)[reply]