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The Sphalerite Structure |
| Ball-and Stick Model Sphalerite is the mineral name for the cubic form of zinc sulfide. In this structure, the sulfide ions (yellow spheres) form a face-centered cubic array, and the zinc ions (white spheres) occupy the half of the tetrahedral holes.This illustration shows a ball-and-stick model of the sphalerite strutcure. |
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Spacefilling Model A spacefilling model of the sphalerite strrutcure. The zinc ions are very small in relation to the lare sulfide ions, and fit almost entirely within the tetrahedral holes with very little expansion of the sulfide lattice. |
| Spacefilling Unit Cell A spacefilling unit cell model of the sphalerite structure. |
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Polyhedral Model A model polyhedral model in which the outline of the tetrahedral holes is shown. Compare this structure to the fluorite structure, in which all of the tetrahedral holes are filled. click here to view an animation of this model |
| Larger Polyhedral Model A larger polyhderal model of the sphalerite structure. click here to view an animation of this model |
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