Sphalerite-(Ce)

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Sphalerite crystals - click for larger pic
Sphalerite crystal
Photo by Violet Anderson
© Royal Ontario Museum

Sphalerite crystals - click for larger pic
Sphalerite crystal
Photo by Violet Anderson
© Royal Ontario Museum

Sphalerite crystals - click for larger pic
Sphalerite crystals
© Doug Merson

Sphalerite crystals - click for larger pic
Sphalerite crystals
© Doug Merson

(Zn,Fe)S

Sphalerite is common in all rock environments at Mont Saint-Hilaire. Several large gemstones have been cut.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Color is varies from yellow, green, brown, red, orange, black or colorless.
Luster is adamantine to dull.
Diaphaneity is transparent to opaque (on black crystals).
Crystal System is isometric; 43
Crystal Habits include simple tetrahedra to 7cm, tetrahedra, pseudo-
octahedra, dodecahedra, modified dodecahedra and flat twinned
pseudohexagonal crystals.
Cleavage {011} is perfect.
Fracture is conchoidal.
Hardness is 3.5 – 4.
Specific Gravity is approximately 4.05 g/cm
Streak is pale brown to white.
Associated Minerals include numerous minerals.
Distinguishing Features: Crystal habit and luster.
Origin: Named in 1847 from the Greek sphaleros, mistaken, as
the mineral was being mistaken for galena but yielding no lead.

CLASSIFICATION:

Dana System
# 2.8.2.1

Strunz Classification
# II/C.01-10

REFERENCES:
MinRec 21:339 (1990), Dana 8:68-69 (1997)

DISTRIBUTION AND RARITY AT MONT SAINT-HILAIRE:

MSH
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Legend

Sphalerite crystals - click for larger pic
Sphalerite crystals
© Gilles Haineault

Sphalerite crystals - click for larger pic
Sphalerite crystals
© Gilles Haineault

Sphalerite crystals - click for larger pic
Sphalerite crystals
© Steven Stuart