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Which minerals are major sources of zinc ore?
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zinc group element
Modern version of the periodic table of the elements (printable).
The primary source of zinc ore is the sulfide mineral sphalerite, also known as zinc blende (ZnS). Together with its oxidation products, smithsonite (zinc carbonate) and hemimorphite, these minerals constitute nearly all of the world's zinc ore.123
Other zinc-bearing minerals include:
- Marmatite: A ferrous variety of zinc blende [(ZnFe)S].3
- Calamine: A term also used to refer to smithsonite (ZnCO₃).3
These minerals are typically found in hydrothermal deposits, often associated with other minerals such as galena, chalcopyrite, and various gangue constituents like calcite, dolomite, and quartz. Because the zinc content in mined ore is generally low (typically between 3 and 10 percent), the ore must undergo beneficiation, most commonly through flotation separation, to produce a concentrated form suitable for processing.134