Sphalerite is the primary ore of zinc and is prized by collectors for its high refractive index and dispersive brilliance, which can mimic diamond. It is commonly found in hydrothermal deposits and often occurs as lustrous, dark-colored tetrahedral crystals or massive aggregates.
Is this sphalerite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch sphalerite with a known reference. Sphalerite sits at Mohs 3.5-4, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: pale brown to pale yellow and white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: resinous to adamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, brown, black, red, green, colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: colloform, euhedral crystals, granular.
Often confused with
Sphalerite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Sphalerite is noticeably harder (Mohs 3.5-4 vs. 2.5-2.75); streak differs, so Sphalerite leaves pale brown to pale yellow and white, Galena leaves lead-gray; luster reads resinous to adamantine on Sphalerite and metallic on Galena.
How to tell apart: Magnetite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5.5-6.5 vs. 3.5-4); streak differs, so Sphalerite leaves pale brown to pale yellow and white, Magnetite leaves black; luster reads resinous to adamantine on Sphalerite and metallic to submetallic, may be dull on Magnetite.
How to tell apart: Cassiterite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6-7 vs. 3.5-4); streak differs, so Sphalerite leaves pale brown to pale yellow and white, Cassiterite leaves white, pale brown, pale gray; luster reads resinous to adamantine on Sphalerite and adamantine to adamantine metallic, splendent; may be greasy on fractures on Cassiterite.
Often found alongside sphalerite
Minerals reported to co-occur with sphalerite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- ZnS
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5-4
- Density
- 3.9-4.1 g/cm³
- Streak
- Pale brown to pale yellow and white
- Luster
- Resinous to adamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent to translucent, opaque when iron-rich
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Colloform, euhedral crystals, granular
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {011}
- Fluorescence
- Yellow-orange under SW and LW UV
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Ore of zinc, Collector, Lapidary
- Host rock
- Formed under a wide range of low- to high-temperature hydrothermal conditions; in coal, limestone, and other sedimentary deposits
Where rockhounds find sphalerite
124 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Tri-State district of the Mississippi Valley, USA
- Baxter Springs, Cherokee Co., Kansas, USA
- Joplin, Jasper Co., Missouri and Picher, Ottawa Co., Oklahoma, USA
- Elmwood mine, near Carthage, Smith Co., Tennessee, USA
- Freiberg, Saxony, and Neudorf, Harz Mountains, Germany
- Lengenbach quarry, Binntal, Valais, Switzerland
U.S. states with sphalerite
Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce sphalerite.
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Formed under a wide range of low- to high-temperature hydrothermal conditions; in coal, limestone, and other sedimentary deposits. If you start seeing galena, chalcopyrite, marcasite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: colloform, euhedral crystals, granular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Missouri, Utah, Tennessee. Start trip planning there.
More sphalerite photos
Common questions
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Find sphalerite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
