Information about Greenockite

Appearance

An uncommon cadmium mineral typically found as a coating on other minerals, particularly sphalerite.

It tends to form as crusts and coatings rather than crystals, but sometimes hexagonal crystals are found too. It has a strikingly bright yellow, orange, or red colour – when combined with its luster it looks almost alien.

Uses and History

Greenockite is the primary ore of cadmium, but was not typically mined for it. The ore itself is quite uncommon and was typically obtained instead as a byproduct of sphalerite (zinc ore) mining.

As a result, Greenockite is of little commercial significance and is only really collected by mineral collectors specialising in local minerals, or collectors of metal ores.

We do not typically use cadmium anymore due to its toxicity, however, it was widely used for batteries in the not too recent past – NiCd batteries were nickel-cadmium, and we were still using those in the early 2000s for rechargeable batteries.

Cadmium was used for yellow and red pigments historically, with some of these being Greenockite derived.

It was first identified in 1840 while cutting a train tunnel in Bishopton, Scotland, and named after the land owner Lord Greenock.

Mineralogy

Hazards and Warnings

Toxic mineral – cadmium sulphide, contains cadmium and sulphur. Minimise handling and keep this mineral away from children and animals.

Mineral collectors should wash their hands after handling specimens, to avoid any exposure to potential toxins.
Almost all rocks, minerals (and, frankly, almost all other substances on earth) can produce toxic dust when cutting, which can cause serious respiratory conditions including silicosis. When cutting or polishing rocks, minerals, shells, etc, all work should be done wet to minimise the dust, and a suitable respirator or extraction system should be used.

Translations

Further Reading / External Links

• https://www.mindat.org/min-1746.html
• https://museum.wales/mineralogy-of-wales/database/?mineral=260&name=Greenockite
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenockite