Which minerals are the main sources of zinc ore?

The primary source of zinc ore is the sulfide mineral sphalerite (also known as zinc blende or blende), which is the chief ore mineral of zinc.123

In addition to sphalerite, other minerals that constitute the world's zinc ore include:

• Marmatite: A ferrous variety of zinc blende [(ZnFe)S].3
• Smithsonite: A zinc carbonate mineral (ZnCO₃), which is an oxidation product of zinc sulfide.23
• Hemimorphite: Another oxidation product that, along with smithsonite, contributes to the total zinc ore supply.2
• Calamine: A term also used to refer to smithsonite.3

While these minerals are the main sources, zinc deposits are often complex and frequently found in association with other minerals such as galena, chalcopyrite, marcasite, and dolomite. Because the zinc content in mined ore is typically low—ranging between 3 and 10 percent—these minerals must be concentrated through processes like flotation separation before they can be treated for metal extraction.134