Judging quality
For specimens, look for lustrous tetrahedral crystals with sharp edges, ideally on matrix with quartz or dolomite. Gem material must be clean and orange-red.
Sulfide
Sphalerite
Zinc sulfide with a dispersion three times higher than diamond, which makes cut honey-colored Spanish sphalerite one of the most fiery gemstones that exists.
Care
Soft with perfect cleavage in six directions — extremely difficult to cut and easy to damage.
History & lore
Sphalerite is the world's principal ore of zinc, and its name comes from Greek for 'treacherous', because miners mistook it for galena.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Sphalerite
- What is Sphalerite?
- Zinc sulfide with a dispersion three times higher than diamond, which makes cut honey-colored Spanish sphalerite one of the most fiery gemstones that exists.
- How hard is Sphalerite and what is it made of?
- Sphalerite is a Sulfide-family mineral with the composition ZnS. It crystallizes in the isometric system and rates 3.5-4 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in honey, red, black.
- Where does Sphalerite come from?
- Notable localities for Sphalerite include Spain (Aliva), Bulgaria, Peru, Mexico.
- How do you tell good Sphalerite from filler?
- For specimens, look for lustrous tetrahedral crystals with sharp edges, ideally on matrix with quartz or dolomite. Gem material must be clean and orange-red.
- How do you care for Sphalerite?
- Soft with perfect cleavage in six directions — extremely difficult to cut and easy to damage.
Related stones
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.