Zincite is a rare zinc oxide mineral that typically exhibits a deep red or orange color due to manganese impurities. It is most famous for its occurrence in the Franklin and Sterling Hill zinc mines, where it is often associated with fluorescent willemite and franklinite.
Is this zincite?
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 zincite with a known reference. Zincite sits at Mohs 4, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: yellow-orange.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: subadamantine to resinous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, dark yellow, dark red, orange.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: disseminated, granular, massive.
Often confused with
Zincite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Zincite leaves yellow-orange, Sphalerite leaves pale brown to pale yellow and white; luster reads subadamantine to resinous on Zincite and resinous to adamantine on Sphalerite.
How to tell apart: Zincite is noticeably harder (Mohs 4 vs. 2-2.5); streak differs, so Zincite leaves yellow-orange, Cinnabar leaves scarlet; luster reads subadamantine to resinous on Zincite and adamantine, inclining to metallic when dark; dull in friable material on Cinnabar.
Often found alongside zincite
Minerals reported to co-occur with zincite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- ZnO
- Mohs hardness
- 4
- Density
- 5.66 g/cm³
- Streak
- Yellow-orange
- Luster
- Subadamantine to resinous
- Transparency
- Translucent, transparent in thin fragments
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Disseminated, granular, massive
- Cleavage
- {1010}, perfect; parting on {0001}, commonly distinct
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific research
- Host rock
- A primary mineral in metamorphosed stratiform zinc orebodies (New Jersey, USA); a secondary mineral altered from other zinc minerals in oxidized zinc-rich ore deposits; a product of volcanism
Where rockhounds find zincite
2 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Franklin and Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Sussex Co., New Jersey, USA
- Tonopah-Belmont mine, Osborne district, Maricopa Co., Arizona, the result of a mine fire, USA
- Volcanic ash from Mt. St. Helens, Skamania Co., Washington, USA
- Tsumeb, Namibia
- Kipushi, 28 km southwest of Lubumbashi, Katanga Province, Congo (Shaba Province, Zaire)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A primary mineral in metamorphosed stratiform zinc orebodies (New Jersey, USA); a secondary mineral altered from other zinc minerals in oxidized zinc-rich ore deposits; a product of volcanism. If you start seeing franklinite, willemite, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: disseminated, granular, massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in New Jersey. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find zincite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
