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Zincite is a rare mineral that is insignificant from all but one region in the world. Its bright orange color is distinctive, as well as its mineral association and habits. The striking color is caused by various impurities, as pure synthetic Zincite is colorless.
Zincite is often grown together and admixed with Franklinite, and often forms as spots together with the Franklinite on a white Calcite matrix. Although Zincite does not fluoresce, its Willemite and Calcite associations are highly fluorescent. Synthetic Zincite has been artificially produced from industrial operations and laboratory production, and this material is very aesthetic and widely available on the mineral market.
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Chemical Formula |
ZnO |
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Composition |
Zinc oxide, almost always with small amounts of manganese and iron
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| Variable Formula |
(Zn,Mn,Fe)O |
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Color |
Deep orange-red, bright orange, yellowish-orange, dark brownish-red |
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Streak |
Orange yellow |
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Hardness |
4 |
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Crystal System |
Hexagonal |
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Crystal Forms
and Aggregates |
Crystals of Zincite are rare. When they do occur, they are in small pyramidal hexagonal crystals with a pointed termination on one end and flattened base on the other end. They are usually associated together within massive or grainy Zincite, and are crudely formed. Well-formed crystals are extremely uncommon. Most often massive, encrusting, and grainy.
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Transparency |
Translucent. Rarely transparent. |
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Specific Gravity |
5.4 - 5.7 |
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Luster |
Adamantine to resinous |
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Cleavage |
1,1; Also exhibits basal parting. |
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Fracture |
Conchoidal to uneven |
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Tenacity |
Brittle |
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Other ID Marks |
Lacks fluorescence
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In Group |
Oxides; Simple Oxides |
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Striking Features |
Color, mineral association, and locality |
| Environment |
In zinc-rich zones of metamorphosed marble.
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Popularity (1-4)
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3 |
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Prevalence (1-3)
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3 |
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Demand (1-3) |
2 |
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Zincite was an important ore of zinc among the zinc ore bodies in the Franklin and Sterling Hill mines when those mines were in operation. Today zincite is used as a collector's mineral.
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Zincite has a few worldwide localities where it occurs naturally in microscopic grains, and it has been synthetically produced from industrial smelter operations in several parts of the world, especially Poland, which produced specimens that have become widely available on the collector's market. The only significant producers of naturally occurring Zincite are the world-famous zinc mines at Franklin and nearby Ogdensburg (Sterling Hill), Sussex Co., New Jersey.
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The mineral association and locality are sufficient to distinguish Zincite from any other similarly colored minerals.
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Have a question about Zincite? Visit our Q&A Community and ask the experts!
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