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Sphalerite (ZnS) is a mineral that is the chief ore of zinc. It consists largely of zinc sulfide in crystalline form but often contains some iron as (Zn,Fe)S. It is usually found in association with galena, pyrite, and other sulfides along with calcite, dolomite, and fluorite. Miners have also been known to refer to sphalerite as zinc blende, mock lead, false galena and black-jack.

Its color is usually yellow, brown, or gray to gray-black, and it may be shiny or dull. Its luster is resinous. It has a yellow or light brown streak, a hardness of 2.5 - 4, and a specific gravity of 3.9-4.1. Some specimens have a red iridescence within the gray-black crystals; these are called "ruby sphalerite." The pale yellow and red varieties have very little iron and are translucent. The darker more opaque varieties contain more iron. Some specimens are also fluorescent in ultravioletNote: Ultraviolet is also the name of a 1998 UK television miniseries about vampires. Ultraviolet UV radiation is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than that of soft X-rays. It can be subdivided into light. Sphalerite crystallizes in the isometricThe term isometric comes from the Greek for having equal measurement and is a descriptive word associated with several topics: Isometric projection, a method for the visual representation of three-dimensional objects in two dimensions, is a form of orthog crystal system.

1 References

2 See also

Minerals Sulfide minerals

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