Mineral description : Sphalerite

Sphalerite (black) and flourite (light blue) from Åkerlandet, Dorotea, Västerbotten.

Sphalerite from Sala silver mine, Västmanland.

Mineral class	Sulphides : Sphalerite - wurtzite group
Chemical formula	ZnFeS
Crystal system	Cubic
Habitus	Crystals tetraedic with rounded corners. Often in massive, grainy or coarse masses.
Cleavage	Good.
Hardness	3.5
Density	3.9-4.2
Color	Yellow to black.
Streak	Brownish.
Luster	Diamond
Description
Occurance	Common in hydrothermal veins. Also common in sedimentary and contact metamorphic layers (scarn).
Associates	Other sulphides, flourite.
Notes	Soluble in hydrocloric acid. In swedish : zinkblände.
Locations	A common mineral Bergslagen mining field. Common in many mines. Skellefte mining field. Common in many mines. Åkerlandet, Dorothea. With flourite, sometimes in crystals. Sala silver mine, Sala. About half of the silver was contained in the sphalerite. Nordmark, Värmland. Up to 5cm big tetraedic crystals.

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