Colloform sphalerite from the Lisheen deposit (closed in 2015), which was mined for zinc (Zn) and lead (lead). 
<p>Sphalerite is the ore mineral for zinc, which is a vital metal for transitioning to a greener, more sustainable future (it is used in several renewable technologies and can be 100% recycled). Ireland is one of the biggest suppliers of zinc in Europe, even though we only have one operational mine. 
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This image was taken using an transmitted light microscope at UCD School of Earth Sciences as part of research being carried out by the Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences (iCRAG) and UCD. Scale included in image.
<a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Aileen555&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" class="new" title="User:Aileen555 (page does not exist)">Aileen Doran</a>
CC BY 4.0
<span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>