Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
zinc blende

zinc blende

7.9
A mineral made mainly of zinc and sulfur that miners use to get zinc
  • noun
  • /zɪŋk blɛnd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : blenda de zinc
  • Geologists identified the crystal as zinc blende due to its structure and composition.

Examples

  • Miners extracted zinc blende from deep underground veins.

  • The mine produces large quantities of zinc blende for industrial use.

  • The zinc blende was identified by its unique properties.

  • Many miners in Canada extract zinc blende for its valuable zinc content.

  • Geologists identified the crystal as zinc blende due to its structure and composition.

  • Miners extracted zinc blende from deep underground veins.

  • The mine produces large quantities of zinc blende for industrial use.

Synonyms

sphalerite
vszinc blende
  • Specialized
9.9

A mineral that miners dig to get zinc

has identical meaning but is used here as the chosen headword
blende
vszinc blende
  • Archaic
9.9

A dark mineral of zinc and sulfur used as the main source of zinc

has identical meaning but serves as the database's standard label
wurtzite
vszinc blende
  • Specialized
9.9

A brownish-black mineral made of zinc and sulfur that forms six-sided crystals and is mined for zinc

refers to the common crystalline ore form rather than the hexagonal variety
zinc sulfide
vszinc blende
  • Specialized
5.8

A white or yellow mineral used in glow paint and optical parts

refers specifically to the mineral ore form rather than the pure compound

Surface Forms

zinc blende singular
zinc blends plural

Morphology

zinc + blende

This is a straightforward noun–noun composition where 'zinc' specifies the type of 'blende', so knowing 'zinc' (the metal) and 'blende' (a mineral) allows a learner to infer a mineral composed of zinc sulfide. The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents and follows common compounding patterns, so it is transparent to learners who know both words.

Etymology

Zinc blende may come from old miners who called some shiny rocks blende because they looked like useful ores but did not give the expected metal. One popular story says blende meant 'to trick', so the image of a rock that fooled people helps explain why zinc blende now means 'the ore of zinc'.