THE GEMSTONE LIBRARY
Sphalerite (Spain)
Sphalerite can scatter light into vivid flashes of color, making a faceted specimen especially captivating.
Mineral and gem
Sphalerite is zinc sulfide (ZnS) and an important ore of zinc. Transparent, facet-quality material is much less common than opaque ore. Its very high dispersion can separate white light into spectral colors, while its high refractive index contributes brilliance when the gem is expertly cut. GIA has documented notable gem sphalerite from Spain; the exact mine for our September parcel is not documented here.
Handle its fire with care
GIA lists sphalerite at approximately 3.5–4 on the Mohs hardness scale and describes it as brittle with perfect cleavage. It scratches and chips more readily than harder gems. Keep a loose gem in a padded box, avoid knocks and contact with harder stones, and clean it gently without steam or ultrasonic equipment.
A separate testing story
Our library also contains a laboratory report for a different sphere once sold as “sphalerite”. That sphere tested as quartz and fluorite, without identified sphalerite. The result belongs to that sphere and does not test or characterize the Spanish faceted gems pictured here.
Source
GIA · Unique Sphalerite from Spain, Gems & Gemology, Spring 2024 describes sphalerite’s optical properties, durability, and one documented Spanish gem. It is background information, not a laboratory result for the Soul Body Gems parcel.