A Geoscience Digital Image Library
A Geoscience Digital Image Library
| Title | Marmatite (var. sphalerite), sphalerite and quartz from Joplin, Missouri |
|---|---|
| Description | When pure, sphalerite has composition ZnS (zinc sulfide) but sphalerite almost always contains some iron (Fe) in nature. Marmatite is a name given to an opaque, metallic-lustered, iron-rich variety of sphalerite with composition (Zn,Fe)S. It may be difficult to distinguish from Fe-poor sphalerite (which can also be brilliant metallic black) without a chemical analysis. In this specimen, marmatite is accompanied by more normal colored sphalerite (brown-yellow) and quartz (white clear). This specimen is from the famous mining district near Joplin, Missouri. It is 11 cm across. |
| Location | USA ▹ Missouri. Near Joplin. |
| Photographer | Darla Sondrol. 2001-07-10. |
| Collection | University of North Dakota Mineralogy Collection #171. |
| Key words | marmatite, sphalerite, quartz, Missouri |
| Tech details | 763 KB. Hand specimen. Fujifilm FinePix S1Pro digital camera; 60mm AF Nikon micro lens. |
| GeoDIL number | 1084 |
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