Sphalerite

Sphalerite, also called zinc blende, zinc ore and sulfur ore. It is the major mineral ore of zinc. Sphalerite appears in a variety of colors—brown, red, black, yellow—but is always opaque and dark. When it is abraded by a sharp metal object, an orange flash appears in this ore. The sulfur content may release the scent of rotten eggs. Sphalerite is found in the United States, Mexico, northern Europe, and northern Africa.

See also: Zinc.