U - Z

Zincite

I needed to put something in the U-Z section, so here's the weirdo zincite to tick the box. There's a (possibly apocryphal) backstory to these crystals of zinc oxide; that for a few years they were the unexpected side-product of a factory smelter chimney. I suspect that's at least initially true, but it's possible more has been intentionally manufactured since. In any case, they are almost certainly made-made, either accidentally or by design.

Shrouded in mystery, these pieces are about 1.5cm across.