Sphalerite ((Zn,Fe)S) is a meeneral that is the chief ore o zinc. It consists lairgely o zinc sulfide in crystalline furm but naur aye contains variable iron. Whan iron content is heich it is an opaque black variety, marmatite. It is uisually foond in association wi galena, pyrite, an ither sulfides alang wi calcite, dolomite, an fluorite. Whiles, miners refer tae sphalerite as zinc blende, black-jack, an ruby jack.
Quick facts General, Category ...
| Sphalerite |
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 Sphalerite |
| General |
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| Category | Sulfide meeneral |
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Formula
(repeatin unit) | (Zn,Fe)S |
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| Strunz clessification | 02.CB.05a |
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| Dana clessification | 02.08.02.01 |
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| Creestal seestem | Isometric hextetrahedral (4 3m) |
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| Identification |
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| Colour | Broun, yellae, reid, green, black. |
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| Creestal habit | Euhedral crystals – occurs as well-formed crystals shawin guid external form. Granular – generally occurs as anhedral tae subhedral crystals in matrix. |
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| Twinnin | Simple contact twins or complex lamellar forms, twin axis [111] |
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| Cleavage | perfect |
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| Fractur | Uneven tae conchoidal |
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| Mohs scale haurdness | 3.5-4 |
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| Skinkle | Adamantine, resinous, greasy |
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| Streak | brounish white, fauch yellae |
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| Diaphaneity | Skyre tae leamish, opaque whan iron-rich |
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| Speceefic gravity | 3.9–4.2 |
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| Optical properties | Isotropic |
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| Refractive index | nα = 2.369 |
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| Ither chairacteristics | non-radioactive, non-magnetic, fluorescent an triboluminescent. |
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| References | [1][2][3] |
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