Zincite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Zincite
Formula:
ZnO
Colour:
Red, orange, yellow, white; rarely green
Lustre:
Sub-Vitreous, Resinous, Waxy, Greasy, Silky, Dull, Earthy
Hardness:
4
Specific Gravity:
5.64 - 5.68
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Name:
Named "red oxide of zinc" in 1810 by Archibald Bruce as a chemical name typical of then current mineral nomenclature practice. Renamed "zincite" in 1845 by Wilhelm Karl von Haidinger. Francis Alger called this mineral "sterlingite" in 1844, while Henry James Brooke and William Hallowes Miller named this mineral "spartalite" in 1852.
Co-Type Localities:
Isostructural with:
NOTE: synthetic zincite crystals are widespread on the mineral market, e.g., https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/spring-2017-characteristics-gem-quality-synthetic-zincite
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Zincite.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Zincite.Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
4410
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:4410:9
IMA Classification of Zincite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
Classification of Zincite
4.AB.20
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
A : Metal: Oxygen = 2:1 and 1:1
B : M:O = 1:1 (and up to 1:1.25); with small to medium-sized cations only
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
A : Metal: Oxygen = 2:1 and 1:1
B : M:O = 1:1 (and up to 1:1.25); with small to medium-sized cations only
4.2.2.1
4 : SIMPLE OXIDES
2 : AX
4 : SIMPLE OXIDES
2 : AX
7.5.1
7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
5 : Oxides of Zn, Cd and Hg
7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
5 : Oxides of Zn, Cd and Hg
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
| Symbol | Source | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Znc | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
| Znc | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download |
Physical Properties of Zincite
Sub-Vitreous, Resinous, Waxy, Greasy, Silky, Dull, Earthy
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent, Opaque
Comment:
Found in a wide variety of textures
Colour:
Red, orange, yellow, white; rarely green
Streak:
Orange-yellow
Hardness:
4 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
{1010} perfect, but difficult.
{1010} perfect, but difficult.
Parting:
On {0001} distinct at times.
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
5.64 - 5.68 g/cm3 (Measured) 5.699 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Zincite
Type:
Uniaxial (+)
RI values:
nω = 2.013 - 2.032 nε = 2.029 - 2.048
Birefringence:
0.016
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.000 - 0.019
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars.
Surface Relief:
Moderate
Anisotropism:
Weak
Colour in reflected light:
Light rose-brown
Chemistry of Zincite
Mindat Formula:
ZnO
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Mn,Fe
Crystallography of Zincite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6mm - Dihexagonal Pyramidal
Space Group:
P63mc
Setting:
P63mc
Cell Parameters:
a = 3.24 Å, c = 5.20 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 1.605
Unit Cell V:
47.27 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Morphology:
Crystals extremely rare. Hemimorphic pyramidal with a large negative pedion {0001}. Often rounded and corroded. Usually massive, foliated; also compact granular, and in rounded irregular masses.
Twinning:
On {0001}, composition plane always {0001}.
Crystallographic forms of Zincite
Crystal Atlas:
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Zincite no.20 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
3d models and HTML5 code kindly provided by
www.smorf.nl.
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Crystal Structure
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0005203 | Zincite | Kihara K, Donnay G (1985) Anharmonic thermal vibrations in ZnO The Canadian Mineralogist 23 647-654 |  | 1985 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0005204 | Zincite | Kihara K, Donnay G (1985) Anharmonic thermal vibrations in ZnO The Canadian Mineralogist 23 647-654 | | 1985 | 0 | 473 | |
| 0005205 | Zincite | Kihara K, Donnay G (1985) Anharmonic thermal vibrations in ZnO The Canadian Mineralogist 23 647-654 | | 1985 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0005206 | Zincite | Kihara K, Donnay G (1985) Anharmonic thermal vibrations in ZnO The Canadian Mineralogist 23 647-654 | | 1985 | 0 | 473 | |
| 0018119 | Zincite | Aminoff G (1921) Ueber Lauephotogramme und Struktur von Zinkit. _cod_database_code 1011258 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 56 495-505 | 1921 | 0 | 293 | ||
| 0018120 | Zincite | Weber L (1923) Die Struktur von Zn O. _cod_database_code 1011259 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 58 398-403 | 1923 | 0 | 293 | ||
| 0011555 | Zincite | Wyckoff R W G (1963) Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York Crystal Structures 1 85-237 | 1963 | 0 | 293 | ||
| 0015176 | Zincite | Xu Y N, Ching W Y (1993) Electronic, optical, and structural properties of some wurtzite crystals Physical Review B48 4335-4351 | 1993 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Loading XRD data...
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 2.816 Å | (71) |
| 2.602 Å | (56) |
| 2.476 Å | (100) |
| 1.911 Å | (29) |
| 1.626 Å | (40) |
| 1.477 Å | (35) |
| 1.407 Å | (6) |
| 1.379 Å | (28) |
| 1.359 Å | (14) |
| 1.301 Å | (3) |
| 1.238 Å | (5) |
| 1.1812 Å | (3) |
| 1.0929 Å | (10) |
| 1.0639 Å | (4) |
| 1.0422 Å | (10) |
| 1.0158 Å | (5) |
| 0.9848 Å | (4) |
| 0.9764 Å | (7) |
| 0.9555 Å | (1) |
| 0.9832 Å | (4) |
| 0.9069 Å | (12) |
| 0.8826 Å | (6) |
| 0.8675 Å | (1) |
| 0.8369 Å | (6) |
| 0.8290 Å | (2) |
| 0.8237 Å | (2) |
| 0.8125 Å | (5) |
Comments:
ICDD 5-664 (synthetic)
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 5: Initiation of plate tectonics | <3.5-2.5 |
| 38 : Ophiolites | |
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 47h : [Near-surface oxidized, dehydrated minerals] | |
| Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals | <10 Ka |
| 56 : Slag and smelter minerals (see also #51 and #55) |
Type Occurrence of Zincite
Co-Type Localities:
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Metamorphic Precambrian zinc-manganese-iron oxide-silicate ore bodies in crystalline Franklin marble.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Zincite
Other Language Names for Zincite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| 550 photos of Zincite associated with Franklinite | Zn2+Fe3+2O4 |
| 517 photos of Zincite associated with Willemite | Zn2SiO4 |
| 389 photos of Zincite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 65 photos of Zincite associated with Sussexite | Mn2+BO2(OH) |
| 62 photos of Zincite associated with Tephroite | Mn2+2SiO4 |
| 58 photos of Zincite associated with Leucophoenicite | Mn2+7(SiO4)3(OH)2 |
| 53 photos of Zincite associated with Hetaerolite | ZnMn2O4 |
| 47 photos of Zincite associated with Pyrochroite | Mn(OH)2 |
| 46 photos of Zincite associated with Esperite | PbCa2Zn3(SiO4)3 |
| 43 photos of Zincite associated with Hydrozincite | Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 4.AB. | Carbon Monoxide Ice | CO |
| 4.AB.05 | Crednerite | Cu+Mn3+O2 |
| 4.AB.10 | Tenorite | CuO |
| 4.AB.15 | Mcconnellite | CuCrO2 |
| 4.AB.15 | Delafossite | Cu+Fe3+O2 |
| 4.AB.20 | Bromellite | BeO |
| 4.AB.25 | Bunsenite | NiO |
| 4.AB.25 | Periclase | MgO |
| 4.AB.25 | Lime | CaO |
| 4.AB.25 | Manganosite | MnO |
| 4.AB.25 | Monteponite | CdO |
| 4.AB.25 | Wüstite | FeO |
| 4.AB.30 | Palladinite | PdO |
| 4.AB.35 | Hongquiite | TiO |
Fluorescence of Zincite
Yellow-green (SW UV) (light yellow material from Sterling Mine only).
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
Source of refined zinc oxide (Franklin ores only)
Internet Links for Zincite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-4410.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
References for Zincite
Reference List:
Haidinger, Wilhelm (1845) Handbuch der bestimmenden Mineralogie, enthaltend die Terminologie, Systematik, Nomenklatur und Charakteristik der Naturgeschichte des Mineralreiches (1st ed.) Braumüller & Seidel, Vienna. p.548
Brooke, Henry J., Phillips, William (1852) An Elementary Introduction to Mineralogy (6th ed.) p.218 - as Spartalite
Localities for Zincite
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Atlantic Ocean | |
| Maslennikov et al. (2023) |
| Lyutkevich (2022) | |
Australia | |
| Gibb-Maitland (1908) |
| Ferguson (1999) |
Austria | |
| M. Puttner: Carinthia II 184./104.:43-47 (1994) |
| |
| Schebesta (1992) |
| Bauer (1997) |
Belgium | |
| Ottenburgs et al. (1998) |
| Leon Hupperichs collection |
| van Tassel (1979) +1 other reference |
| |
Brazil | |
| Slezak et al. (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full) |
| Slezak et al. (pdf available at https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/handle/1974/7027?mode=full) +1 other reference | |
Bulgaria | |
| Doinikova (2007) |
| Doinikova (2007) |
Canada | |
| MacMillan (2014) |
China | |
| Li et al. (2023) |
| Tiegeng Liu et al. (2004) |
| Haiqi Yan et al. (2007) |
| Yuhua Pei and Haiqi Yan (2006) +1 other reference |
| Fenying Zhang et al. (2011) |
| Huaping Zhu and Dequan Zhang (2004) |
| Guoxing Wu (1990) +1 other reference |
| Zhimin Cao (1991) |
| Wenji Bai et al. (2004) |
Czech Republic | |
| Pauliš P. Mineralogické lokality ... |
| Scharm +7 other references |
DR Congo | |
| Deliens (1996) +1 other reference |
Egypt | |
| Ismail (2017) +1 other reference |
| Ibrahim et al. (2013) |
France | |
| Belot (1978) |
| Belot (1978) |
| Belot (1978) | |
| Gol et al. (2010) | |
| Belot (1978) |
| Belot (1978) |
| Belot (1978) |
| Belot (1978) |
| Belot (1978) |
| Belot (1978) |
| Belot (1978) | |
Germany | |
| Weiß (1990) |
| |
| |
| Pawlowski (1991) |
| Schnorrer-Köhler (1986) +1 other reference |
| Blaß et al. (1995) |
| Neschen (n.d.) |
| Blaß et al. (1995) | |
| International Association of Collectors ... +1 other reference | |
| Blaß et al. (1995) |
| Weiß (1990) |
| 58 (in German) +1 other reference |
| Schnorrer-Köhler et al. (1991) | |
| Joan Rosell |
| Lapis 30 (7/8) |
Greece | |
| 58. +2 other references |
| Pe-Piper et al. (2021) |
India | |
| Nalin Shah (2002) |
Iran | |
| Mondillo et al. (2017) |
| USGS database +1 other reference |
Italy | |
| Rivista Mineralogica Italiana (Avril/Juin) |
| Antofilli et al. (1983) |
| - (n.d.) |
| SEM-EDS |
| Binotto et al. (1988) |
| Stara et al. (1996) |
| De Michele (1974) | |
| - (n.d.) | |
| Lecca et al. (2022) |
| Bazzoni C. et al. |
| Giovanni Scapin Collection |
| Muenchener Micromounter-Lithothek |
| D'Achiardi (1872-73) |
Jordan | |
| Khoury et al. (2016) |
| Sokol +10 other references | |
Kazakhstan | |
| Palyanova +3 other references |
| Blyalova et al. (2025) |
Mexico | |
| Reyes (2020) |
Nigeria | |
| Oyeladun (2015) |
Norway | |
| Goldschmidt (1912) |
Peru | |
| www.marketscreener.com (2018) |
Poland | |
| Cempa et al. (2024) |
| Neschen (n.d.) |
| Warchulski et al. (2015) |
| Warchulski et al. (2014) +1 other reference | |
| Warchulski et al. (2015) |
| Puziewicz et al. (2007) +2 other references |
| Cempa et al. (2024) | |
| Nowinska (2020) +1 other reference |
Russia | |
| Rozhdestvina et al. (2024) |
| Mironov et al. (2008) |
| Pekov et al. (2015) +1 other reference |
| Siidra et al. (2018) | |
| Zelenski et al. (2020) |
| Sokol et al. (2023) |
| Filimonova et al. (2008) |
| Geologiya Rudnykh Mestorozhdenii +1 other reference | |
| Gerasimov (2023) |
| Gerasimov (2020, December) |
Serbia | |
| Radosavljević +3 other references |
| Pačevski et al. (2018) |
Slovakia | |
| Koděra (1986) |
South Korea | |
| Yang et al. (1986) |
Sweden | |
| Nysten (2003) |
Tunisia | |
| Dill |
UK | |
| Pirrie et al. (2000) |
| Norman Wilson collection +1 other reference |
| Render (n.d.) |
| Rust (2022) |
USA | |
| Anthony et al. (1995) |
| Troxel et al. (1962) +2 other references |
| Leavens & Patton: Axis 4 (1) |
| - (2005) |
| Minerals of Colorado (1997) |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
| Piatak et al. (2010) |
| - (2005) |
| - (2005) |
| NBMG Bull 64 Geology and Mineral ... +1 other reference | |
| NBMG Bull 73 Geology and Mineral ... +1 other reference |
| Castor et al. (2004) |
| Manchester (1931) |
| Palache (1935) +1 other reference |
| Palache (1935) +1 other reference |
| King (n.d.) | |
| Palache (1935) | |
| Palache (1935) +1 other reference | |
| FOMS Millsite Committee (1986) | |
| King (n.d.) | |
| Although no specific reference is ... | |
| Moritz (n.d.) |
| Palache (1935) +2 other references |
| Franklin Mineral Museum specimens | |
| Northrop et al. (1996) |
| Northrop et al. (1996) |
| Lavinsky (n.d.) |
| Paris (2011) |
| Ken Puchlik (2009) +1 other reference |
| - (2005) |
| Dietrich (1990) |
Zambia | |
| - (1981) |
The Moon | |
| Mokhov A.V. et al. (2013) |
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Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA