Native Zinc	A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered	Zn
Sincosite	A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered	Ca(V⁴⁺O)₂(PO₄)₂ · 4H₂O
Zincite	A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered	ZnO
Zinkenite	A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered	Pb₉Sb₂₂S₄₂

IMA Classification of ZinkositeHide

IMA status:

Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959), Questionable

IMA Formula:

Zn²⁺S⁶⁺O₄

Classification of ZinkositeHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):

7.AB.10

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
A : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, without H₂O
B : With medium-sized cations

Hey's CIM Ref.:

25.5.1

25 : Sulphates
5 : Sulphates of Zn and Hg

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Symbol	Source	Reference for Standard
Zin	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of ZinkositeHide

Transparency:

Translucent

Density:

4.33 g/cm³ (Measured) 3.86 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of ZinkositeHide

Type:

Biaxial (-)

RI values:

n_α = 1.658 n_β = 1.669 n_γ = 1.67

2V:

Measured: 25° , Calculated: 32°

Max. Birefringence:

δ = 0.012
Based on recorded range of RI values above.

Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.

Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.

Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.

Thickness: 30 µm Order divisions

Rotation:

Surface Relief:

Very High (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).

This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral colouration.

Focus:

In focus

Interference Figure:

This shows the idealized biaxial acute bisectrix (Bxa) interference figure - the conoscopic view for a grain cut perpendicular to the acute bisectrix, using this mineral's 2V. The two small white dots mark the melatopes - the points where the two optic axes emerge - and are shown only when they fall within the field of view. The coloured bands are isochromatics, and the dark bands are isogyres.

Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.

Thickness: 30 µm

Stage rotation: 0°

Dispersion:

strong

Chemistry of ZinkositeHide

Mindat Formula:

ZnSO₄

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
Zn	40.497 %
O	39.641 %
S	19.862 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

O, S, Zn - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of ZinkositeHide

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Class (H-M):

mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal

Space Group:

Pnma

Setting:

Pnma

Cell Parameters:

a = 8.604(5) Å, b = 6.746(5) Å, c = 4.774(3) Å

Ratio:

a:b:c = 1.275 : 1 : 0.708

Unit Cell V:

277.10 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Crystal StructureHide

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Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4

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CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c

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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure

ID	Species	Reference	Link	Year	Locality	Pressure (GPa)	Temp (K)
0014620	Zinkosite	Wildner M, Giester G (1988) Crystal structure refinements of synthetic chalcocyanite (CuSO4) and zincosite (ZnSO4) Mineralogy and Petrology 39 201-209		1988	synthetic	0	293
0009208	Zinkosite	Kokkoros P A, Rentzeperis P J (1958) The crystal structure of the anhydrous sulphates of copper and zinc Acta Crystallographica 11 361-364		1958		0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Zinkosite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Wildner M'
'Giester G'
_journal_name_full 'Mineralogy and Petrology'
_journal_volume 39 
_journal_year 1988
_journal_page_first 201
_journal_page_last 209
_publ_section_title
;
 Crystal structure refinements of synthetic
 chalcocyanite (CuSO4) and zincosite (ZnSO4)
;
_database_code_amcsd 0014620
_chemical_compound_source 'Synthetic'
_chemical_formula_sum 'Zn S O4'
_cell_length_a 8.604
_cell_length_b 6.746
_cell_length_c 4.774
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 90
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 277.095
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      3.870
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'P n m a'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  'x,1/2-y,z'
  '-x,1/2+y,-z'
  '1/2-x,1/2+y,1/2+z'
  '1/2+x,1/2-y,1/2-z'
  '1/2+x,y,1/2-z'
  '1/2-x,-y,1/2+z'
  '-x,-y,-z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
_atom_site_U_iso_or_equiv
Zn   0.00000   0.00000   0.00000   0.02450
S   0.18029   0.25000   0.46659   0.00920
O1   0.12790   0.25000   0.76220   0.01470
O2   0.35450   0.25000   0.45220   0.01260
O3   0.12670   0.06890   0.32950   0.01440
loop_
_atom_site_aniso_label
_atom_site_aniso_U_11
_atom_site_aniso_U_22
_atom_site_aniso_U_33
_atom_site_aniso_U_12
_atom_site_aniso_U_13
_atom_site_aniso_U_23
Zn 0.02470 0.02180 0.02710 0.01100 -0.01640 -0.01320
S 0.00820 0.01140 0.00800 0.00000 -0.00070 0.00000
O1 0.01650 0.01870 0.00900 0.00000 0.00230 0.00000
O2 0.00850 0.01400 0.01550 0.00000 0.00080 0.00000
O3 0.01580 0.01410 0.01320 -0.00200 -0.00300 -0.00230

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event	<2.4
47b : [Sulfates and sulfites]
47h : [Near-surface oxidized, dehydrated minerals]

Type Occurrence of ZinkositeHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Jaroso Ravine, Sierra Almagrera, Cuevas del Almanzora, Almería, Andalusia, Spain

Synonyms of ZinkositeHide

Almagrerite

Zincosite

Other Language Names for ZinkositeHide

Dutch:Zinkosiet

German:Zinkosit
Almagrerit
Zincosit

Russian:Цинкозит

Spanish:Almagrerita
Zincosita
Zinkosita

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

7.AB.	Dravertite	CuMg(SO₄)₂	Mon. 2/m
7.AB.	Andymcdonaldite	Fe₂TeO₆	Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : P4₂/mnm
7.AB.	Dagenaisite	Zn₃Te⁶⁺O₆	Mon. 2/m : B2/b
7.AB.05	Mikasaite	Fe₂(SO₄)₃	Trig. 3 : R3
7.AB.05	Millosevichite	Al₂(SO₄)₃	Trig. 3 : R3
7.AB.05	Koryakite	NaKMg₂Al₂(SO₄)₆	Trig. 3 : R3
7.AB.10	Chalcocyanite	CuSO₄	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
7.AB.15	Hermannjahnite	CuZn(SO₄)₂	Mon. 2/m
7.AB.25	Ottoite	Pb₂TeO₅	Mon. 2/m : B2/b
7.AB.55	Mcalpineite	Cu₃(Te⁶⁺O₆)	Iso. m3(2/m3) : Ia3

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:

No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for ZinkositeHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-4418.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

Look for Zinkosite on Webmineral

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Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Mineral Dealers:

Buy from D. Joyce minerals

References for ZinkositeHide

Reference List:

Breithaupt, A. (1852) Berg.- und hüttenmännisches Zeitung, Freiberg, Leipzig (merged into Glückauf): 11: 100.

de Schulten (1888) Comptes rendu de l’Académie des sciences de Paris: 107: 405.

Larsen, Esper S. (1921) The microscopic determination of the nonopaque minerals. Bulletin 679. US Geological Survey doi:10.3133/b679 p.159

Schiff (1934) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 87: 379.

Palache, Charles; Berman, Harry; Frondel, Clifford (1951) The System of Mineralogy (7th ed.) Vol. 2 - Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons.pp.428-429

Wildner, M., Giester, G. (1988) Crystal structure refinements of synthetic chalcocyanite (CUSO4) and zincosite (ZnSO4) Mineralogy and Petrology, 39 (3) 201-209 doi:10.1007/bf01163035

Miguel Calvo and Joan Viñals (2008) Mineralogistes de Catalunya, 9, #5, 52-54.

Localities for ZinkositeHide

Showing 6 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the

symbol to view information about a locality. The

symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

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Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed.

- This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.

- Good crystals or important locality for species.

- World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.


China
Guangdong Shaoguan Renhua Co. ⓘ Fankou Mine	Zhongjing Lingnan Nonferrous Metals Data

Spain (TL)
Andalusia Almería Cuevas del Almanzora Sierra Almagrera ⓘ Jaroso Ravine (TL)	AM 45 (1960)

Tunisia
Zaghouan ⓘ Djebel Stah deposit	Somrani et al. (2025)
Zriba-Village ⓘ Hammam-Zriba Mine	Somrani et al. (2025)

USA
New Mexico Socorro County ⓘ Magdalena Mining District	Northrop et al. (1996)
ⓘ Graphic Mine	Northrop et al. (1996)

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Zinkosite

Unique IdentifiersHide

Similar NamesHide