sphalerite

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/ˈsfæl.əˌɹaɪt/US/ˈsfeɪ.ləˌɹaɪt/

noun

A yellow, brown or black, sometimes red, green white or colorless mineral with cubic crystals, of a chemical formula (Zn,Fe)S, often containing also minor metals, such as cadmium, gallium, germanium and indium.

Similar
blendezincblendezinc blende
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Meanings

nounsphalerite (plural sphalerites)

plural sphalerites

  1. chemistryA yellow, brown or black, sometimes red, green white or colorless mineral with cubic crystals, of a chemical formula (Zn,Fe)S, often containing also minor metals, such as cadmium, gallium, germanium and indium.

    The Monte Cristo and Philadelphia sphalerites have similar mean Pb concentrations (80 ppm) that are lower than the Lucky Dog sphalerites (119 ppm).

    2009 February 6, Jamie J. Wilkinson et al., “Anomalously Metal-Rich Fluids Form Hydrothermal Ore Deposits”, in Science, volume 323, number 5915, →DOI, pages 764–767

    Synonyms: blende, zincblende

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA yellow, brown or black, sometimes red, green white or colorless mineral with cubic crystals, of a chemical formula (Zn,Fe)S, often containing also minor metals, such as cadmium, gallium, germanium and indium.

Similar
blendezincblende

More synonyms by meaning

nounan ore that is the chief source of zinc; consists largely of zinc sulfide in crystalline form

Similar
zinc blendeblende
Broader
mineral
Also see
blende

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From Ancient Greek σφαλερός (sphalerós, “unstable, unsteady, precarious”) + -ite; named in 1847.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan esfalerita
  • esfaleritamineral
Esperanto sfalerito
  • sfaleritomineral
Finnish sinkkivälke
  • sinkkivälkemineral
French sphalérite
  • sphaléritemineral
German Sphalerit, Zinkblende
  • Sphaleritmineral
  • Zinkblendemineral
Hungarian szfalerit
  • szfaleritmineral
Italian sfalerite, blenda
  • sfaleritemineral
  • blendamineral
Polish blenda cynkowa, sfaleryt
  • blenda cynkowamineral
  • sfalerytmineral
Portuguese esfalerita, blenda
  • esfaleritamineral
  • blendamineral
Spanish esfalerita, blenda
  • esfaleritamineral
  • blendamineral
Cite this entry
APA

sphalerite. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphalerite

MLA

“sphalerite.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphalerite. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sphalerite,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphalerite.

Source: sphalerite on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.