Infrared and infrared emission spectroscopy of the zinc carbonate mineral smithsonite

Infrared emission and infrared spectroscopy has been used to study a series of selected natural smithsonites from different origins. An intense broad infrared band at 1440cm(-1) is assigned to the nu(3) CO(3)(2-) antisymmetric stretching vibration. An additional band is resolved at 1335cm(-1). An intense sharp Raman band at 1092cm(-1) is assigned to the CO(3)(2-) symmetric stretching vibration. Infrared emission spectra show a broad antisymmetric band at 1442cm(-1) shifting to lower wavenumbers with thermal treatment. A band observed at 870cm(-1) with a band of lesser intensity at 842cm(-1) shifts to higher wavenumbers upon thermal treatment and is observed at 865cm(-1) at 400 degrees C and is assigned to the CO(3)(2-)nu(2) mode. No nu(2) bending modes are observed in the Raman spectra for smithsonite. The band at 746cm(-1) shifts to 743cm(-1) at 400 degrees C and is attributed to the CO(3)(2-)nu(4) in phase bending modes. Two infrared bands at 744 and around 729cm(-1) are assigned to the nu(4) in phase bending mode. Multiple bands may be attributed to the structural distortion ZnO(6) octahedron. This structural distortion is brought about by the substitution of Zn by some other cation. A number of bands at 2499, 2597, 2858, 2954 and 2991cm(-1) in both the IE and infrared spectra are attributed to combination bands.