Esfalerita
Esfalerita is a mineral with formula (Zn,Fe)S, in the Sulfuros group. This specimen comes from Elmwood Mine, Carthage, Smith County, Tennessee, Estados Unidos and joined the Terrium collection in 2002.
Description
Elongated specimen of three sphalerite crystals joined by abundant saccharoidal dolomite. Very good lustre and highly sculptural.
About Esfalerita
Sphalerite is the principal zinc mineral and can show very dark colours when it contains iron. It commonly occurs with calcite and dolomite in hydrothermal sulphide deposits.
About the locality
Elmwood is a world-class classic mine for sphalerite, calcite and baryte, both in shared and separate parageneses. The best specimens date from its classic period, when operations allowed pieces to reach the market through the miners themselves. In 2010 the company Nyrstar reopened it after more than thirty years closed due to low zinc profitability, but prohibited the extraction of specimens and threatened immediate dismissal for anyone who did so. It closed permanently on 31 December 2023. Elmwood produced a lot of very fine material, but no more will come out.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0388
- Composition
- (Zn,Fe)S
- Name
- Esfalerita
- Group
- Sulfuros
- Category
- Cupidium
- Associations
- dolomita
- Mine
- Elmwood Mine
- District / Municipality
- Carthage
- Province
- Smith County
- Region
- Tennessee
- Country
- Estados Unidos
- Size (cm)
- 7.5 x 2.7 x 2.5
- Weight
- 35 g
- Acquired
- 2002
- Etymology
- From the Greek "sphaleros" (σφαλερός), meaning deceptive or treacherous. It was named for its resemblance to galena, the principal lead ore, yet lead could not be extracted from it, to the frustration of ancient miners.
- Quality
- Notable
- Value trend
- Al alza
Related specimens
- Acantita (Paramórfica tras Argentita) — Marruecos
- Analcima — Estados Unidos
- Auricalcita — Estados Unidos
- Boltwoodita — Estados Unidos
- Calcita (Ahumada) — Estados Unidos
- Calcita — Estados Unidos
- Calcita — Estados Unidos
- Calcopirita (Irisada) — Francia