Tags: Chemical Substance, Mineral.
Sphalerite ((ZnFe)S) is a mineral that is the chief ore of zinc. It consists largely of zinc sulfide in crystalline form but almost always contains variable iron. When iron content is high it is an opaque black variety marmatite. 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 black-jack and ruby jack.
