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Which other minerals commonly provide zinc ore?

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A labeled diagram of the periodic table entry for zinc, showing its atomic number 30, symbol Zn, atomic weight 65.38, electron configuration, name, hexagonal crystal structure, solid state at room temperature, and classification as a transition metal.
zinc

The primary ore mineral of zinc is sphalerite, a zinc sulfide (ZnS). In addition to sphalerite, two other mineralsā€”smithsonite and hemimorphiteā€”are significant sources of the metal.12

These minerals are often found in association with one another:

  • Smithsonite: A zinc carbonate (ZnCO3) that serves as a secondary mineral or alteration product found in the oxidized zones of ore deposits.32
  • Hemimorphite: A hydrated basic zinc silicate that also forms as a secondary mineral through the alteration of sphalerite.42

Together, these three minerals constitute nearly all of the world's zinc ore.2