Wurtzite
Mineral ZnS
About it
The hexagonal form of zinc sulfide: brown pyramids or banded crusts mixed with sphalerite, hard to tell apart without crystal shape. It was first described from Oruro, Bolivia.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Sulfide, wurtzite group
- Formula
- ZnS
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 3.5–4
- Specific gravity
- 3.9–4.1
- Streak
- light brown
- Lustre
- resinous, submetallic
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Colours
- brownish black, orange-brown, reddish brown
- Transparency
- translucent, opaque
- Cleavage and fracture
- good prismatic; uneven to conchoidal fracture
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.