Sphalerite is an interesting and valuable mineral readily found in many parts of the world, including the United States. It's a sulfide that takes on a cubic form, giving it a perfect cleavage. The distinguishing feature of sphalerite is its resinous luster or its likeness to a submetallic. It's also a brittle mineral that requires delicate handling.
Localities
Sphalerite can be readily found in different parts of the world. The most common place to find it is in Trepeca, England (Alston Moor), Switzerland (Binnental), New South Wales and Australia. It can also be found Santander, Spain. Mexico also supplies sphalerite in Mazapil, Zacatecas, Cananea and Sonora. It can also be found in the following states: Missouri, Kansas, Arizona, New Jersey, New York and Oklahoma. Minerals.net points out that different parts of the world supply different kinds of sphalerite. For instance, Mexico is associated with large metallic lustered or green crystals. Sphalerite in the U.S. has dark green, pale green or brown crystals.
Facts and Uses
Sphalerite got its name from the Greek word sphaleros, which means "misleading." Despite this, sphalerite plays a very important role in today's society. It's an important alloy of copper and zinc. Without it, the production of iron and brass would not be the same. It's the most common ore of zinc. It's also used in the production of electronics (i.e., electric batteries), home construction/remodeling (i.e., paint), art (i.e., dyes) and health care (i.e., medicines).
Chemical Properties of Sphalerite
Sphalerite is made up of sulfur (S), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn). Its chemical formula is (Zn,Fe)S. Its molecular weight is 96.98 gm. Mindat.org says there are 11 common impurities of sphalerite found. These impurities can be found in the following elements: Mn, Cd, Hg, In, Tl, Ga, Ge, Sb, Sn, Pb and Ag.
Physical Properties of Sphalerite
Sphalerite is also nicknamed blende, or "black jack," due to its dark color. The more iron is added to it, the darker it gets. If there's not very much zinc present, sphalerite may be brown, yellow, green or even colorless. If sphalerite is pure, it'll generate a white streak. The less pure will result in a brownish streak. It also has an uneven surface, thanks to clear reddish crystals found on its exterior. If more iron is present, these crystals will be darker opaque metallic crystals.
Similar Minerals and Those That Occur with Sphalerite
Several minerals share similar characteristics with sphalerite. It can be difficult to distinguish between the minerals if you're not an expert. Such minerals are galena (typically heavier and has a gray streak), siderite (has different crystals), tetrahedrite (has a gray streak) and argentite (has a shiny black streak). Sphalerite rarely occurs without the presence of one of the following: galena, fluorite, dolomite, quartz, calcite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, barite, argentite and greenockite.
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