Sphalerite

Sphalerite is a sulfide mineral with the chemical formulaS and an ore of zinc. When the iron content is high, sphalerite is an opaque black variety called marmatite. German geologist Ernst Friedrich Glocker discovered sphalerite in 1847, naming it based on the Greek word sphaleros, meaning "deceiving", due to the difficulty of identifying the mineral. Sphalerite is found in association with galena, chalcopyrite, pyrite, calcite, dolomite, quartz, rhodochrosite, and fluorite. Miners have been known to refer to sphalerite as zinc blende, black-jack, and ruby blende. Sphalerite is found in a variety of deposit types, but it is primarily in sedimentary exhalative, Mississippi-Valley type, and volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits. It is used for zinc, brass, bronze, gemstones, galvanization, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.