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Sphalerite

A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered

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Photos of Sphalerite (7214)

Sphalerite Gallery Search Photos of Sphalerite

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Sphalerite, etc.

Lengenbach Quarry, Fäld, Binn, Goms, Valais, Switzerland

Sphalerite

Flamboro Quarry, West Flamborough Township, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Sphalerite, etc.

Dalnegorsk, Dalnegorsk Urban District, Primorsky Krai, Russia

Sphalerite

Buckwheat pit, Franklin Mine, Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA

Sphalerite, etc.

Lengenbach Quarry, Fäld, Binn, Goms, Valais, Switzerland

Sphalerite

Flamboro Quarry, West Flamborough Township, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Sphalerite, etc.

Dalnegorsk, Dalnegorsk Urban District, Primorsky Krai, Russia

Sphalerite

Buckwheat pit, Franklin Mine, Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA

Sphalerite, etc.

Lengenbach Quarry, Fäld, Binn, Goms, Valais, Switzerland

Sphalerite

Flamboro Quarry, West Flamborough Township, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

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About SphaleriteHide

Formula:

ZnS

Colour:

Yellow, light to dark brown, black, red-brown, colourless, light blue. green

Lustre:

Adamantine, Resinous

Hardness:

3½ - 4

Specific Gravity:

3.9 - 4.1

Crystal System:

Isometric

Member of:

Sphalerite Group

Name:

Originally called blende in 1546 by Georgius Agricola (Georg Bauer). Known by a variety of chemical-based names subsequent to Agricola and before Glocker, including "zincum". Named Sphalerite in 1847 by Ernst Friedrich Glocker from the Greek σφαλεροζ "sphaleros" = treacherous, in allusion to the ease with which dark varieties were mistaken for galena, but yielded no lead.

Polymorph of:

Polhemusite, Wurtzite

Sphalerite Group.

Sphalerite, also known as blende or zinc blende, is the major ore of zinc. When pure (with little or no iron) it forms clear to white crystals (known as Cleiophane). Yellow to orange sphalerite is often called "golden sphalerite." Red shades of sphalerite are known as Ruby Blende or Ruby Jack. As iron content increases, sphalerite forms dark, opaque submetallic crystals (known as Marmatite or Black Jack).
Very rarely, green crystals owe their colour to trace amounts of Co (Henn & Hofmann, 1985; Rager et al., 1996).

Sphalerite may also contain considerable Mn, grading into alabandite. Samples containing up to 0.36 apfu (atoms per formula unit) Mn (21.4 wt.% MnO) have been described by Hurai & Huraiová (2011). It can also be Hg-rich and form a series with metacinnabar.

Sphalerite is an important source of rare metals like gallium (Ga) and indium (In), and the semi-metal germanium (Ge). The one from the Restauradora vein of the Capillitas deposit, Argentina, bears a record, at 24.89 wt% In (and 13.49 wt% Cu) it is, astonishingly, still a sphalerite. (Márquez-Zavalía et al. 2024).

See "Best Minerals" article on the schalenblende variety, by Harjo Neutkens: https://www.mindat.org/a/best_schalenblende

According to Haussühl and Müller (1963), there are numerous polytypes; the ones identified by them are 3R (=3C); 2H, 4H, 6H; and 9R, 12R, 15R and 21R. Note that this can be taken to infer that “wurtzite” (all the H polytypes) is merely a series of polytypes of sphalerite!

Compare UM1993-16-S:CdInZn and UM1993-15-S:CdInZn.

Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Sphalerite.

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

3727

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:3727:9

GUID
(UUID V4):

eabaeb2d-b2bc-4149-bd2d-e1dfdf17a050

IMA Classification of SphaleriteHide

IMA status:

Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)

Classification of SphaleriteHide

Strunz-mindat (2024):

2.CB.05a

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
C : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 1: 1 (and similar)
B : With Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, etc.

Dana 8th ed.:

2.8.2.1

2 : SULFIDES
8 : A_mX_p, with m:p = 1:1

Hey's CIM Ref.:

3.4.4

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
4 : Sulphides etc. of Group II metals other than Hg (Mg, Ca, Zn, Cd)

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.

Symbol	Source	Reference
Sp	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43
Sp	Kretz (1983)	Kretz, R. (1983) Symbols of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 68, 277–279.
Sp	Siivolam & Schmid (2007)	Siivolam, J. and Schmid, R. (2007) Recommendations by the IUGS Subcommission on the Systematics of Metamorphic Rocks: List of mineral abbreviations. Web-version 01.02.07. IUGS Commission on the Systematics in Petrology. download
Sp	Whitney & Evans (2010)	Whitney, D.L. and Evans, B.W. (2010) Abbreviations for names of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 95, 185–187 doi:10.2138/am.2010.3371
Sp	The Canadian Mineralogist (2019)	The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download

Physical Properties of SphaleriteHide

Lustre:

Adamantine, Resinous

Transparency:

Transparent, Translucent

Colour:

Yellow, light to dark brown, black, red-brown, colourless, light blue. green

Streak:

Pale yellow to brown.

Hardness:

3½ - 4 on Mohs scale

Hardness:

VHN₁₀₀=208 - 224 kg/mm² - Vickers

Tenacity:

Brittle

Cleavage:

Perfect
Perfect {011}

Fracture:

Conchoidal

Density:

3.9 - 4.1 g/cm³ (Measured) 4.096 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of SphaleriteHide

Type:

Isotropic

RI values:

n_α = 2.369

Birefringence:

May show strain induced birefringence

Surface Relief:

Moderate

Reflectivity:

Wavelength	R
400nm	19.6%
420nm	19.0%
440nm	18.3%
460nm	17.9%
480nm	17.5%
500nm	17.2%
520nm	16.9%
540nm	16.7%
560nm	16.5%
580nm	16.4%
600nm	16.3%
620nm	16.2%
640nm	16.1%
660nm	16.0%
680nm	15.9%
700nm	15.8%

Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Top of box is 100%. Peak reflectance is 19.6%.

Colour in reflected light:

Medium gray

Internal Reflections:

White, yellow, red, brown

Pleochroism:

Non-pleochroic

Chemistry of SphaleriteHide

Mindat Formula:

ZnS

Elements listed:

S, Zn - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Common Impurities:

Fe,Mn,Cd,Hg,In,Tl,Ga,Ge,Sb,Sn,Pb,Ag,Co

Age distributionHide

Recorded ages:

Phanerozoic : 519 Ma to 0 Ma - based on 23 recorded ages.

Crystallography of SphaleriteHide

Crystal System:

Isometric

Class (H-M):

4 3m - Hextetrahedral

Space Group:

F4 3m

Cell Parameters:

a = 5.406 Å

Unit Cell V:

157.99 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Twinning:

{111}

Crystallographic forms of SphaleriteHide

Crystal Atlas:

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Sphalerite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Sphalerite no.3 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Sphalerite no.9 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Sphalerite no.13 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Sphalerite no.33 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Sphalerite no.46 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Sphalerite no.53 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Sphalerite no.162 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Crystal StructureHide

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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure

ID	Species	Reference	Year	Locality	Temp (K)
0000110	Sphalerite	Skinner B J (1961) Unit-cell edges of natural and synthetic sphalerites American Mineralogist 46 1399-1411	1961	synthetic	293
0018098	Sphalerite	de Jong W (1927) Marmatit und christophit _cod_database_code 1011232 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 66 515-515	1927		293
0018099	Sphalerite	de Jong W (1927) Marmatit und christophit _cod_database_code 1011233 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 66 515-515	1927		293
0018328	Sphalerite	Nitta E, Kimata M, Hoshino M, Echigo T, Hamasaki S, Nishida N, Shimizu M, Akasak T (2008) Crystal chemistry of ZnS minerals formed as high-temperature volcanic sublimates: matraite identical with sphalerite Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences 103 145-151	2008	Iwodake volcano, Satsuma-Iwojima, Kyushu, SW Japan	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Sphalerite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Skinner B J'
_journal_name_full 'American Mineralogist'
_journal_volume 46 
_journal_year 1961
_journal_page_first 1399
_journal_page_last 1411
_publ_section_title
;
 Unit-cell edges of natural and synthetic sphalerites
;
_database_code_amcsd 0000110
_chemical_compound_source 'Synthetic'
_chemical_formula_sum 'Zn S'
_cell_length_a 5.4093
_cell_length_b 5.4093
_cell_length_c 5.4093
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 90
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 158.279
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      4.090
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'F -4 3 m'
loop_
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  '-y,z,-x'
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  '1/2-y,z,1/2-x'
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  '1/2+y,-x,1/2-z'
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  '1/2+x,z,1/2+y'
  '1/2+x,1/2+z,y'
  'z,y,x'
  'z,1/2+y,1/2+x'
  '1/2+z,y,1/2+x'
  '1/2+z,1/2+y,x'
  'y,x,z'
  'y,1/2+x,1/2+z'
  '1/2+y,x,1/2+z'
  '1/2+y,1/2+x,z'
  '-z,-x,y'
  '-z,1/2-x,1/2+y'
  '1/2-z,-x,1/2+y'
  '1/2-z,1/2-x,y'
  '-y,-z,x'
  '-y,1/2-z,1/2+x'
  '1/2-y,-z,1/2+x'
  '1/2-y,1/2-z,x'
  '-x,-y,z'
  '-x,1/2-y,1/2+z'
  '1/2-x,-y,1/2+z'
  '1/2-x,1/2-y,z'
  'z,-x,-y'
  'z,1/2-x,1/2-y'
  '1/2+z,-x,1/2-y'
  '1/2+z,1/2-x,-y'
  'y,-z,-x'
  'y,1/2-z,1/2-x'
  '1/2+y,-z,1/2-x'
  '1/2+y,1/2-z,-x'
  'x,-y,-z'
  'x,1/2-y,1/2-z'
  '1/2+x,-y,1/2-z'
  '1/2+x,1/2-y,-z'
  '-x,z,-y'
  '-x,1/2+z,1/2-y'
  '1/2-x,z,1/2-y'
  '1/2-x,1/2+z,-y'
  '-z,y,-x'
  '-z,1/2+y,1/2-x'
  '1/2-z,y,1/2-x'
  '1/2-z,1/2+y,-x'
  '-y,x,-z'
  '-y,1/2+x,1/2-z'
  '1/2-y,x,1/2-z'
  '1/2-y,1/2+x,-z'
  '-x,-z,y'
  '-x,1/2-z,1/2+y'
  '1/2-x,-z,1/2+y'
  '1/2-x,1/2-z,y'
  '-z,-y,x'
  '-z,1/2-y,1/2+x'
  '1/2-z,-y,1/2+x'
  '1/2-z,1/2-y,x'
  '-y,-x,z'
  '-y,1/2-x,1/2+z'
  '1/2-y,-x,1/2+z'
  '1/2-y,1/2-x,z'
  'z,x,y'
  'z,1/2+x,1/2+y'
  '1/2+z,x,1/2+y'
  '1/2+z,1/2+x,y'
  'y,z,x'
  'y,1/2+z,1/2+x'
  '1/2+y,z,1/2+x'
  '1/2+y,1/2+z,x'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
Zn   0.00000   0.00000   0.00000
S   0.25000   0.25000   0.25000

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
3.123 Å	(100)
2.705 Å	(10)
1.912 Å	(51)
1.633 Å	(30)
1.561 Å	(2)
1.351 Å	(6)
1.240 Å	(9)
1.209 Å	(2)
1.1034 Å	(9)
1.0403 Å	(5)
0.9557 Å	(3)
0.9138 Å	(5)
0.8548 Å	(3)
0.8244 Å	(2)

Comments:

ICDD 5-566 (synthetic). Similar data to that of cerianite-(Ce).

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 1: Primary nebular phases	4.567-4.561
4 : Primary chondrule phases	4.566–4.561
Stage 2: Planetesimal differentiation and alteration	4.566-4.550
5 : Primary asteroid phases	4.566–4.560
6 : Secondary asteroid phases	4.566-4.560
Stage 3b: Earth’s earliest hydrosphere	>4.45
12 : Hadean hydrothermal subsurface sulfide deposits (see also #33)
15 : Black/white smoker minerals and other seafloor hydrothermal minerals
Near-surface Processes
23 : Subaerial aqueous alteration by non-redox-sensitive fluids (see also #47)
High-𝑇 alteration and/or metamorphism
32 : Ba/Mn/Pb/Zn deposits, including metamorphic deposits
33 : Minerals deposited by hydrothermal metal-rich fluids (see also [#12])
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks	>3.0
34 : Complex granite pegmatites
36 : Carbonatites, kimberlites, and related igneous rocks
37 : Layered igneous intrusions and related PGE minerals
Stage 5: Initiation of plate tectonics	<3.5-2.5
38 : Ophiolites
Stage 10a: Neoproterozoic oxygenation/terrestrial biosphere	<0.6
49 : Oxic cellular biomineralization (see also #44)	<0.54
50 : Coal and/or oil shale minerals	<0.36
Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals	<10 Ka
54 : Coal and other mine fire minerals (see also #51 and #56)

Synonyms of SphaleriteHide

Lederblende (in part)

Leerblende (in part)

Other Language Names for SphaleriteHide

Bosnian:Sfalerit

Catalan:Esfalerita

Czech:Sfalerit

Dutch:Zinkblende

Farsi/Persian:بلندروی

Finnish:Sinkkivälke

French:Sphalérite

German:Sphalerit
Blende
Brunckit
Marasmolit
Zinkblende
Rubinblende (in part)

Hebrew:ספלריט

Hungarian:Szfalerit

Italian:Sfalerite

Japanese:閃亜鉛鉱

Latvian:Sfalerīts

Lithuanian:Sfaleritas

Low Saxon/Low German:Sphalerit

Norwegian:Sinkblende

Norwegian (Nynorsk):Sinkblende

Polish:Sfaleryt

Portuguese:Blenda

Romanian:Blendă

Russian:Сфалерит

Simplified Chinese:闪锌矿

Slovak:Sfalerit

Spanish:Blenda
Esfalerita

Swedish:Zinkblände

Traditional Chinese:閃鋅礦

Ukrainian:Сфалерит

Varieties of SphaleriteHide

Cadmium-bearing Sphalerite	A Cd-bearing variety of sphalerite. Rather common. Reported, e.g., from La Fossa fumaroles, Italy.
Cleiophane	Cleiophane is colorless to white or green sphalerite due to low contents of Fe" and Mn". Yellow gemmy sphalerite is called "golden sphalerite." First reported from Franklin, Franklin Mining District, Sussex Co., New Jersey, USA.
Cockade sphalerite	A textural variety of sphalerite or an ore type (see cockade ore) showing botryoidal or ring-like structures. Schalenblende is effectively identical. Further English synonyms: ring ore, sphere ore, cocarde ore. Equivalent German terms are "Kokardenerz" an...
Gem Blende	A ruby-red translucent variety of "blende" (= sphalerite), the translucency increases the lower the iron content
Honigblende	German name for honey-coloured sphalerite.
Indium-bearing Sphalerite	An In-bearing variety of sphalerite. It is usually also Cu-rich (coupled substitution of Cu⁺ + In³⁺ <-> 2Zn²⁺). In contents close to 22 wt.% are reported by Márquez-Zavalía et al. (2020).
Kokardenerz	An ore type showing ring-like structures. From French "cocarde", meaning cockade. "Ringelerz" is another German designation. In English: ring ore, sphere ore, cocarde ore, cockade ore. Mainly shown by sphalerite and galena.
Marmatite	An opaque, (macroscopically) black, iron-rich variety of sphalerite.
Mercury-bearing Sphalerite	A mercury-bearing variety of sphalerite. See also Polhemusite
Mátraite	A densely twinned columnar variety of sphalerite. Discredited as 2006-C. Nitta et al. (2008) showed that the sphalerite is twinned on {111}. Originally reported from Gyöngyösoroszi, Mátra Mts., Heves Co., Hungary.
Przibramite (of Huot)	A variety of sphalerite with up to 2% Cd.

Relationship of Sphalerite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:

Sphalerite Group

Other Members of this group:

Browneite	MnS	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
Coloradoite	HgTe	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
Hawleyite	CdS	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
Ishiharaite	(Cu,Ga,Fe,In,Zn)S	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
Metacinnabar	HgS	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
Rudashevskyite	(Fe,Zn)S	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
Stilleite	ZnSe	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
Tiemannite	HgSe	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m

Common AssociatesHide

Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:

7,600 photos of Sphalerite associated with Quartz	SiO₂
5,228 photos of Sphalerite associated with Galena	PbS
4,648 photos of Sphalerite associated with Calcite	CaCO₃
4,134 photos of Sphalerite associated with Pyrite	FeS₂
3,252 photos of Sphalerite associated with Chalcopyrite	CuFeS₂
3,097 photos of Sphalerite associated with Fluorite	CaF₂
2,215 photos of Sphalerite associated with Dolomite	CaMg(CO₃)₂
1,692 photos of Sphalerite associated with Siderite	FeCO₃
1,124 photos of Sphalerite associated with Baryte	BaSO₄
753 photos of Sphalerite associated with Marcasite	FeS₂

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

2.CB.	Agmantinite	Ag₂MnSnS₄	Orth.
2.CB.	Richardsite	Zn₂CuGaS₄	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.CB.	Gachingite	Au(Te_1-xSe_x)	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)
2.CB.	Tolstykhite	Au₃S₄Te₆	Tric. 1 : P1
2.CB.	Hanswilkeite	KFeS₂	Mon. 2/m : B2/b
2.CB.	Auroselenide	AuSe	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
2.CB.	Ruizhongite	(Ag₂◻)Pb₃Ge₂S₈	Iso. 4 3m : I4 3d
2.CB.	Okruginite	Cu₂SnSe₃	Mon. m : Bb
2.CB.05a	Coloradoite	HgTe	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.05a	Hawleyite	CdS	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.05a	Metacinnabar	HgS	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.05c	Polhemusite	(Zn,Hg)S	Tet.
2.CB.05b	Sakuraiite	(Cu,Zn,Fe)₃(In,Sn)S₄	Iso.
2.CB.05a	Stilleite	ZnSe	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.05a	Tiemannite	HgSe	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.05	UM1998-15-S:CuFeZn	Cu₂Fe₃Zn₅S₁₀
2.CB.05a	Rudashevskyite	(Fe,Zn)S	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.05a	Ishiharaite	(Cu,Ga,Fe,In,Zn)S	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.07a	Shenzhuangite	NiFeS₂	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2d
2.CB.07a	Unnamed (Cu-Mn-Sn Sulpide)	Cu₂MnSnS₄
2.CB.10a	Chalcopyrite	CuFeS₂	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2d
2.CB.10a	Eskebornite	CuFeSe₂	Tet. 4 2m : P4 2c
2.CB.10a	Gallite	CuGaS₂	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2d
2.CB.10b	Haycockite	Cu₄Fe₅S₈	Orth. 2 2 2
2.CB.10a	Lenaite	AgFeS₂	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2d
2.CB.10b	Mooihoekite	Cu₉Fe₉S₁₆	Tet. 4 2m : P4 2m
2.CB.10b	Putoranite	Cu_1.1Fe_1.2S₂	Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Pn3m
2.CB.10a	Roquesite	CuInS₂	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2d
2.CB.10b	Talnakhite	Cu₉(Fe,Ni)₈S₁₆	Iso. 4 3m : I4 3m
2.CB.10a	Laforêtite	AgInS₂	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2d
2.CB.10a	Unnamed (Cu-Zn-In Sulphide)	CuZn₂InS₄
2.CB.10a	UM1984-30-S:CuFeSn	Cu₂Fe₂Sn₃S₇
2.CB.10c	Omariniite	Cu₈Fe₂ZnGe₂S₁₂	Orth. 2 2 2 : I2 2 2
2.CB.15a	Černýite	Cu₂(Cd,Zn,Fe)SnS₄	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.CB.15a	Ferrokësterite	Cu₂FeSnS₄	Tet. 4 : I4
2.CB.15a	Hocartite	Ag₂(Fe²⁺,Zn)SnS₄	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.CB.15a	Idaite	Cu₅FeS₆	Hex.
2.CB.15a	Kësterite	Cu₂ZnSnS₄	Tet. 4 : I4
2.CB.15a	Kuramite	Cu₃SnS₄	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.CB.15b	Mohite	Cu₂SnS₃	Mon.
2.CB.15a	Pirquitasite	Ag₂ZnSnS₄	Tet. 4 : I4
2.CB.15a	Stannite	Cu₂FeSnS₄	Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.CB.15c	Stannoidite	Cu⁺₆Cu²⁺₂(Fe²⁺,Zn)₃Sn₂S₁₂	Orth. 2 2 2 : I2 2 2
2.CB.15a	Velikite	Cu₂HgSnS₄	Tet. 4 : I4
2.CB.15c	UM2006-11-S:CuFeGeZn	Cu₈(Fe,Zn)₃Ge₂S₁₂ (?)
2.CB.17a v	Arsenic-bearing Renierite	Cu₁₁GeAsFe₄S₁₆
2.CB.20	Chatkalite	Cu₆FeSn₂S₈	Tet. 4 2m : P4m2
2.CB.20	Mawsonite	Cu₆Fe₂SnS₈	Tet. 4 2m : P4m2
2.CB.30	Argyropyrite	near Ag₂Fe₇S₁₁
2.CB.30	Colusite	Cu₁₃VAs₃S₁₆	Iso. 4 3m : P4 3n
2.CB.30	Germanite	Cu₁₃Fe₂Ge₂S₁₆	Iso. 4 3m : P4 3n
2.CB.30	Germanocolusite	Cu₂₆V₂(Ge,As)₆S₃₂	Iso. 4 3m : P4 3m
2.CB.30	Nekrasovite	Cu₂₆V₂(Sn,As,Sb)₆S₃₂	Iso. 4 3m : P4 3n
2.CB.30	Stibiocolusite	Cu₁₃V(Sb,Sn,As)₃S₁₆	Iso. 4 3m : P4 3m
2.CB.30	Ovamboite	Cu₂₀(Fe,Cu,Zn)₆W₂Ge₆S₃₂	Iso. 4 3m : P4 3n
2.CB.30	Maikainite	Cu₂₀(Fe,Cu)₆Mo₂Ge₆S₃₂	Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m)
2.CB.30	Frieseite	Ag₂Fe₅S₈ (?)
2.CB.35a	Hemusite	Cu₆SnMoS₈	Iso.
2.CB.35a	Kiddcreekite	Cu₆SnWS₈	Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.35a	Polkovicite	(Fe,Pb)₃(Ge,Fe)_1-xS₄	Iso.
2.CB.35a	Renierite	(Cu¹⁺,Zn)₁₁Fe₄(Ge⁴⁺,As⁵⁺)₂S₁₆	Tet. 4 2m : P4 2c
2.CB.35a	Vinciennite	Cu⁺₇Cu²⁺₃Fe²⁺₂Fe³⁺₂Sn(As,Sb)S₁₆	Tet.
2.CB.35a	Morozeviczite	(Pb,Fe)₃Ge_1-xS₄	Iso.
2.CB.35b	Catamarcaite	Cu₆GeWS₈	Hex. 6mm : P6₃mc
2.CB.40	Lautite	CuAsS	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma
2.CB.42	Lingbaoite	AgTe₃	Trig. 3m : R3m
2.CB.45	Cadmoselite	CdSe	Hex. 6mm : P6₃mc
2.CB.45	Greenockite	CdS	Hex. 6mm : P6₃mc
2.CB.45	Wurtzite	(Zn,Fe)S	Hex. 6mm : P6₃mc
2.CB.45	Rambergite	MnS	Hex. 6mm : P6₃mc
2.CB.45	Buseckite	(Fe,Zn,Mn)S	Hex. 6mm : P6₃mc
2.CB.45	Maletoyvayamite	Au₃Se₄Te₆	Tric. 1 : P1
2.CB.47	Murchisite	Cr₅S₆	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : P3 1c
2.CB.50	Zincselenide	ZnSe
2.CB.50	Wassonite	TiS	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m
2.CB.52	Dzhezkazganite	ReMoCu₂PbS₆ ?	Trig. 3m : R3m
2.CB.55a	Cubanite	CuFe₂S₃	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)
2.CB.55b	Isocubanite	CuFe₂S₃	Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fm3m
2.CB.60	Picotpaulite	TlFe₂S₃	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Cmcm
2.CB.60	Raguinite	TlFeS₂	Orth.
2.CB.65	Argentopyrite	AgFe₂S₃	Mon. 2/m
2.CB.65	Sternbergite	AgFe₂S₃	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)
2.CB.70	Sulvanite	Cu₃VS₄	Iso. 4 3m : P4 3m
2.CB.75	Vulcanite	CuTe	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)
2.CB.80	Empressite	AgTe	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)
2.CB.85	Muthmannite	AuAgTe₂	Mon. 2/m : P2/m

Fluorescence of SphaleriteHide

In UV light:

Light colored sphalerite may fluoresce in blue or orange in LW. Fluoresces less strongly, sometimes not at all, in SW or MW.

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:

May be rich in some toxic elements, eg Cd, Hg.

Sphalerite in petrologyHide

An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.

Internet Links for SphaleriteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-3727.html
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Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

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American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

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References for SphaleriteHide

Reference List:

Márquez-Zavalía, M.F., Vymazalová, A., Galliski, M.Á., Laufek, F., Tuhý, M., Watanabe, Y., Bernhardt, H.-J. (2024): Indium-copper-rich sphalerite from the Restauradora vein, Capillitas, Catamarca, Argentina. Resource Geology, 74, 12325.

http://forum.amiminerals.it/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19227&sid=9db4d4e2b0be31cdbbbde77e8ec2f488

Agricola (1546) 465.

Wallerius (1747) 248.

Bergmann (1782).

Glocker, E.F. (1847) Generum et specierum mineralium, secundum ordines naturales digestorum synopsis, omnium, quotquot adhuc reperta sunt mineralium nomina complectens. : Adjectis synonymis et veteribus et recentioribus ac novissimarum analysium chemicarum summis. Systematis mineralium naturalis prodromus. 17-18.

Jorissen, A. (1887) Sur la présence du mercure dans la blende. Annales de la Société géologique de Belgique, 14, CI.

Hairs, E. (1888) Sur la présence du mercure, du thallium et de l'indium dans les blendes belges. Annales de la Société géologique de Belgique: 15: CXIV-CXVII (114-117).

Headden, W.P. (1906) Mineralogic notes, III, phosphorescent zinc blendes. Colorado Sci. Soc. Proc.: 8: 167-182.

Brown, J.S. (1936) Supergene sphalerite, galena, and willemite at Balmat, NY. Economic Geology: 31: 331-354.

Evrard, P. (1939) Quelques observations relatives aux minéraux zonés de blende et de galène. Annales de la Société géologique de Belgique: 63: B104.

Palache, Charles, Berman, Harry, Frondel, Clifford (1944) The System of Mineralogy (7th ed.) Vol. 1 - Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, New York.pp.210-215

Evrard, P. (1945) Minor elements in sphalerite from Belgium. Economic Geology: 40(8): 568-574.

Kutina, J. (1953) Mikroskopischer und spektrographischer Beitrag zur Frage der Entstehung einiger Kolloidalstrukturen von Zinkblende und Wurtzit. Geologie, Berlin, 1, 436.

Smith. F.G. (1955) Structure of zinc-sulfide minerals. American Mineralogist: 40: 658-675.

Rigault G. (1956) Gallio e Indio nella blenda. Periodico di Mineralogia: 43-78.

Haussühl, S., Müller, G. (1963): Neue ZnS-Polytypen (9 R, 12 R und 21R) in mesozoischen Sedimenten NW-Deutschlands. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology: 9: 28-39 [in German, with English abstract].

Fleet, M.E. (1975) Thermodynamic properties of (Zn,Fe)S solid solutions at 850°C. American Mineralogist: 60: 466-470.

Fleet, M.E. (1977) Structural transformations in natural ZnS. American Mineralogist: 62: 540-546.

Fleet, M.E. (1977) The birefringence-structural state relation in natural zinc sulfides and its application to the schalenblende from Pribram. The Canadian Mineralogist: 15: 303-308.

Schaefer, S.C. (1978) Electrochemical determination of the Gibbs energy of formation of sphalerite (ZnS). U.S. Bureau of Mines, Report of Investigation 8301, 16 pp.

Togari, K. (1978) Colour of Sphalerite. Jour. Fac. Sci., Hokkaido Univ., Ser. IV, 18(3), 283-290.

(1980) Acta Crystallographica: A36: 482.

Augustithis, S.S., Vgenopoulos, A. (1982) On the hawleyite-sphalerite-wurtzite-galena paragenesis from Ragada, Komotini, (Rhodope) North Greece. Special Publication of the Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits: 2: 413-417.

Schaefer, S.C., Gokeen, N.A. (1982) Electrochemical determination of the thermodynamic properties of sphalerite, ZnS (beta). High Temperature Science: 15: 225-237.

Henn, U., Hofmann, C. (1985) Green sphalerite from Zaire. Journal of Gemmology, 19, 416-418.

Barton, P.B. Jr., Philip, M., Bethke, P.M. (1987): Chalcopyrite disease in sphalerite: Pathology and epidemiology. American Mineralogist, 72, 451-467.

Rager, H., Amthauer, G., Bernroider, M., Schürmann, K. (1996) Color, crystal chemistry, and mineral association of a green sphalerite from Steinperf, Dill syncline, FRG. European Journal of Mineralogy: 8: 1191-1198.

Balabin, A.I. and Sack, R.O. (2000) Thermodynamics of (Zn,Fe)S sphalerite. A CVM approach with large basis clusters. Mineralogical Magazine, 64, 923-943.

Bawden, T.M., et al. (2003) Extreme 34S depletions in ZnS at the Mike gold deposit, Carlin Trend, Nevada: Evidence for bacteriogenic supergene sphalerite. Geology: 31: 913-916.

Lusk, J., Calder, B.O.E. (2004) The composition of sphalerite and associated sulfides in reactions of the Cu–Fe–Zn–S, Fe–Zn–S and Cu–Fe–S systems at 1 bar and temperatures between 250 and 535 °C. Chemical Geology: 203: 319-345.

Deore, S., Navrotsky, A. (2006) Oxide melt solution calorimetry of sulfides: Enthalpy of formation of sphalerite, galena, greenockite, and hawleyite. American Mineralogist: 91: 400-403.

Cook, Nigel J., Ciobanu, Cristiana L., Pring, Allan, Skinner, William, Shimizu, Masaaki, Danyushevsky, Leonid, Saini-Eidukat, Bernhardt, Melcher, Frank (2009) Trace and minor elements in sphalerite: A LA-ICPMS study. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 73 (16) 4761-4791 doi:10.1016/j.gca.2009.05.045

Hurai, V., Huraiová, M. (2011) Origin of ferroan alabandite and manganoan sphalerite from the Tisovec skarn, Slovakia. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie - Abhandlungen: 188: 119-134.

Goldmann, S., Junge, M., Wirth, R., Schreiber, A. (2019): Distribution of trace elements in sphalerite and arsenopyrite on the nanometre-scale – discrete phases versus solid solution. European Journal of Mineralogy, 31, 325-333.

Li, M., Barnes, H.L. (2019): Orbitally forced sphalerite growth in the Upper Mississippi Valley District. Geochemical Perspectives Letters, 12, 18-22. doi: 10.7185/geochemlet.1929 ["(...) banding in sphalerite follows the Milankovitch climate frequencies over 10⁴ – 10⁵ years"]

(2023) Sphalerite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Significant localities for SphaleriteHide

Showing 41 significant localities out of 25,374 recorded on mindat.org.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the

symbol to view information about a locality. The

symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed.

- This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.

- Good crystals or important locality for species.

- World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.


Austria
Carinthia Villach-Land District Bad Bleiberg Bleiberg-Kreuth ⓘ Max Mine	Niedermayr et al. (1995)

Canada
Ontario Wellington County Guelph Township ⓘ Guelph Dolime Quarry	Reiner Mielke +1 other reference

France
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Isère Grenoble Susville ⓘ Villaret pit	Belot (1978)
Grand Est Haut-Rhin Thann-Guebwiller Steinbach Silberthal ⓘ Silberthalrücken vein	Mines +1 other reference
Occitanie Gard Le Vigan Montdardier ⓘ La Sanguinede mine	J F Carpenter specimen

Germany
Bavaria Upper Franconia Bamberg District Altendorf ⓘ Holzbachacker clay pit	Kirill Vlasov
North Rhine-Westphalia Cologne Oberbergischer Kreis Nümbrecht Wirtenbach ⓘ Büschhof Quarry (Schretzmair Quarry)	Lapis 2005 (30)

Ireland
Leinster Longford County Ballymahon Keel ⓘ Garrycam deposit (Keel Mine)	Barry Flannery (Personal Collection) +2 other references
Munster Tipperary County Silvermines District ⓘ Ballygown South Mine	Barry Flannery Collection. +1 other reference
ⓘ Ballynoe mine (Magcobar mine)	Barry Flannery Collection +1 other reference
ⓘ Mogul Mine (Garryard Mine; International Mogul Mines)	Moreton (1999)

Italy
Tuscany Lucca Province Gallicano ⓘ Zinepri	Biagioni et al. (2008)
Stazzema ⓘ Bottino Mine	Benvenuti et al. (2000)
ⓘ Levigliani mine	Dini (1995)
Pontestazzemese ⓘ Buca della Vena Mine	Orlandi et al. (2004)
Vergemoli Fornovolasco ⓘ Cava del Ferro (Bùgie mines; Trimpello)	Cioffi M. (Alpi Apuane) +1 other reference

Kazakhstan
Karaganda Region ⓘ Dzhezkazgan mining district	RWMW specimen +2 other references

Kosovo
Mitrovica District Mitrovica Trepča complex ⓘ Trepča Stari Trg Mine	Joana Koà Odziejczyk et al. ( 2012) +3 other references

Norway
Buskerud ⓘ Kongsberg silver mining district	Neumann (1944)
Rogaland Karmøy Karmøy Island ⓘ Vigsnes Copper Mines	Torkelsen (1993)

Peru
Ancash Bolognesi Province Aquia District ⓘ Pachapaqui mining district	Mineralogical Record 28 (1997) +2 other references
Huallanca District Huanzala ⓘ Huanzala Mine	Econ Geol (1985) +1 other reference
Pallasca Province Pampas District ⓘ Pasto Bueno	Mineralogical Record 28 (1997) +1 other reference
Recuay Province Ticapampa District ⓘ Hercules Mine	Mi.Rec. 28 (1997)
La Libertad Santiago de Chuco Province Quiruvilca District ⓘ Quiruvilca Mine	Burkart-Baumann +2 other references

Poland
Lower Silesian Voivodeship Kłodzko County Nowa Ruda ⓘ Piast Mine	Andrzejewski K. (1993)

Romania
Maramureș County Baia Mare ⓘ Herja Mine	Mârza +10 other references

Russia
Primorsky Krai Dalnegorsk Urban District Dalnegorsk ⓘ Nikolaevskiy Mine	Dobovol'skaya et al. (1990) +3 other references

South Africa
Gauteng West Rand District Municipality Far West Rand Western Sector Carletonville ⓘ Kusasalethu Mine	Wilson (2001)

Spain
Basque Country Guipúzcoa (Gipuzkoa) Mutiloa ⓘ Troya Mine	Calvo et al. (1993) +1 other reference
Cantabria Camaleño ⓘ Áliva Mine	Gómez Fernández et al. (2006)
Murcia Cartagena El Gorguel El Pino ⓘ Lola Mine	[var: Marmatite] Calvo (2003)

Switzerland
Valais Goms Binn Fäld ⓘ Lengenbach Quarry	Graeser et al. (1987)

UK
England Cumbria Eden Alston Moor Nenthead ⓘ Smallcleugh Mine	Dunham K C
ⓘ Nentsberry Haggs Mine
Dorset West Dorset Symondsbury Eype ⓘ Eype Beach	David Baldwin

USA
Connecticut Fairfield County Brookfield ⓘ U. S. Route 7 Expressway (Danbury line to Iron Works District)	Januzzi (1994) +1 other reference
Litchfield County Thomaston Thomaston Dam ⓘ Thomaston Dam railroad cut	Fluorite: The Collector's Choice. Extra ... +8 other references
Woodbury Orenaug Hills ⓘ O & G Southbury Quarry (Silliman Quarry; O & G No. 2 Quarry)	J. Zolan +2 other references
Maryland Carroll County Medford ⓘ Medford Quarry	J. Wingard
Missouri Lewis County ⓘ Durham	Sherwood et al. (1998)
New Jersey Sussex County ⓘ Franklin	[var: Cleiophane]
Tennessee Smith County Carthage ⓘ Elmwood Mine	Kyle (1976) +2 other references

Sphalerite

About SphaleriteHide

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Physical Properties of SphaleriteHide

Optical Data of SphaleriteHide

Chemistry of SphaleriteHide

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Crystallography of SphaleriteHide

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Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

Fluorescence of SphaleriteHide

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Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide