Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
| acmite | a soda pyroxene whose crystals show a steep pyramid. |
| adularia | a transparent or translucent variety of common FELDSPAR, or ORTHOCLASE; aka MOONSTONE. [From the Adula group in the Alps]. |
| aegirine aegirite | a silicate of iron and sodium occurring in many alkaline igneous rocks. [From the Norse sea-god Aegir]. |
| agate | a type of CHALCEDONY. |
| agatize agatise | to convert into agate; to make resemble agate. |
| agatoid | like AGATE. |
| alabaster | a soft, semi-transparent gypsum. |
| albertite | a bituminous mineral resembling ASPHALT, found in the county of Albert, New Brunswick. |
| albite | a sodium-rich plagioclase, usu. white, occurring widely in silicate rocks; aka sodium feldspar. |
| albitic | pertaining to ALBITE, a white silicate. |
| albitical | of or like ALBITE. |
| albitise albitize | to turn into ALBITE, a mineral, a white silicate. |
| allanite | a silicate containing a large amount of cerium, related to EPIDOTE in form and composition. |
| allophane | a translucent, colored aluminum silicate. |
| almandine almandite alabandine almondite | a deep red garnet consisting of an iron aluminum silicate. |
| alumin alumina alumine | an oxide of aluminium. |
| aluminous | pertaining to or containing alum, or alumina; as, aluminous minerals, aluminous solution. |
| alumstone | another name for ALUNITE, a hydrous sulphate of aluminum and potassium. |
| alunite | a hydrous sulphate of aluminum and potassium, aka alum-stone. |
| amazonite | amazon-stone, a green microcline said to be given by the Brazilian Amazons to the men who visited them. |
| amethyst | a purple gemstone, believed to ward off drunkenness. |
| amianthine | of or like AMIANTHUS, asbestos with silky fibres. |
| amianthus amiantus | asbestos with silky fibres. [Gk. amiantos (lithos) undefiled (stone), from a- (privative), and miainein to soil]. |
| amosite | a brown asbestos, a form of asbestos mined only in S. Africa. |
| amphibole | any mineral of a group of dark-coloured, rock-forming silicates. |
| analcime analcite | a white or flesh-red mineral of the zeolite family. |
| analcimic | of or like ANALCIME, a mineral of the zeolite family. |
| anatase | a mineral of titanium oxide. |
| andesine | a kind of triclinic feldspar found in the Andes. |
| andradite | a green-to-black garnet. |
| anglesite | a native sulphate of lead, occurring in white or yellowish transparent, prismatic crystals. |
| anhydrite | an anhydrous sulphate of lime, differing from gypsum in not containing water (whence the name). |
| ankerite | a mineral closely related to DOLOMITE, but containing iron. |
| annabergite | an apple-green mineral, hydrous nickel arsenate. |
| anorthic | triclinic, referable to three unequal oblique axes. |
| anorthite | a plagioclase feldspar, calcium aluminium silicate. |
| apatite | calcium fluoride phosphate, used as a fertilizer. |
| apophyllite | hydrated calcium potassium silicate, that exfoliates on heating. |
| aragonite arragonite | an orthorhombic mineral composed of calcium carbonate. |
| arfvedsonite | an iron-rich sodium amphibole which occurs as black or dark green monoclinic crystals. |
| argentite | a form of silver sulphide crystallizing in the cubic system and occurring as dark grey crystals with a metallic lustre. |
| argillite | an indurated argillaceous rock that is harder than shale and does not split easily. |
| argillitic | like ARGILLITE, an indurated argillaceous rock. |
| argyrite | a silver ore, aka ARGENTITE. |
| arragonitic | like ARRAGONITE. |
| asbestos asbestus | a fine fibrous form of certain minerals. [Gk. (literally) unquenchable, from a- (privative) and sbestos, extinguished]. |
| asbestous | containing ASBESTOS, a fine fibrous form of certain minerals. |
| atacamite | an oxychloride of copper, usually in emerald-green prismatic crystals. |
| augite | one of the pyroxene group of minerals, very similar to hornblende. [Gk. auge, bright]. |
| augitic | pertaining to, or like, AUGITE; as, augitic rocks. |
| autunite | a fluorescent minor ore of uranium. [From Autun, France]. |
| aventurin | a glass containing golden or green flecks; quartz containing mica flakes > AVENTURINS. Also AVENTURINE, AVANTURINE. |
| axinite | a rock-forming triclinic silicate of the epidote group containing calcium, iron, manganese, aluminium, and boron, and occurring as brown or yellow, often large, crystals. |
| azurite | a blue carbonate of copper, aka blue malachite. |
| balas | a variety of spinel ruby, of a pale rose red, or inclining to orange. |
| barite baryte | a native sulphate of barium. |
| baryta | barium oxide. |
| barytic | of or pertaining to BARYTA, barium oxide. |
| basaltine | a type of brownish-black mineral > BASALTINES. |
| basanite | a black form of jasper or quartzite, formerly used as a touchstone. |
| bentonite | a kind of clay, used in industry as a filler etc. |
| beryl | an aluminum silicate: the green form is EMERALD and the blue form AQUAMARINE. |
| beryline | of or like BERYL. |
| beryllia | an oxide of BERYLLIUM. |
| biotite | mica containing iron and magnesia, generally of a black or dark green color. |
| biotitic | of or like BIOTITE, a kind of mica. |
| bitumen | naturally-occurring asphalt from the Middle East, used as mortar etc. |
| blackband | an earthy carbonate of iron containing considerable carbonaceous matter; -- valuable as an iron ore. |
| blende | a zinc sulphide, often containing some iron. |
| boehmite | a mineral present in BAUXITE. [From Johann Böhm (1895—1952), Ger. chemist]. |
| boracite | a chloroborate of magnesium usu. occurring as greyish-white cubic crystals. |
| borax | a hydrated sodium borate, which is a white efflorescent crystalline solid found as a native deposit or prepared from other minerals. Pl. BORAXES or BORACES. |
| bornite | a valuable ore of copper, containing copper, iron, and sulphur, aka peacock ore. |
| bornitic | of or like BORNITE, a valuable ore of copper. |
| botryoid botryoidal | of minerals, occurring in grape-shaped masses. |
| braunite | a native oxide of manganese, of dark brownish black color. [From a Mr Braun of Gotha]. |
| bronzite | a variety of ENSTATITE with bronze-like lustre. |
| brookite | a mineral, titanium oxide. |
| brucite | magnesium hydroxide. |
| bytownite | a PLAGIOCLASE intermediate between ANORTHITE and LABRADORITE. |
| cacholong | an opaque or milk-white CHALCEDONY, a variety of QUARTZ. [Fr. f. Mongolian kas chilagun precious stone]. |
| cairngorm | a yellow-brown quartz. [Gaelic carn, stone + gorm, blue]. |
| calamine | an ore of zinc, spec. the carbonate (SMITHSONITE), or less commonly the basic silicate (HEMIMORPHITE). Also, a pink preparation of powdered zinc carbonate or oxide used in lotions, ointments, etc. (Verb) to apply calamine to. |
| calaverite | a metallic pale yellow mineral consisting of a telluride of gold in the form of elongated striated crystals. |
| calcedony chalcedony | a cryptocrystalline form of quartz, microscopically fibrous with waxy luster. |
| calcite | trigonal calcium carbonate, occurring e.g. as limestone or Iceland spar. |
| calcitic | of or like CALCITE. |
| calcspar | calcite. |
| carbuncle | a fiery-red precious stone, aka ALMANDINE. [L. carbunculus, dim. of carbo, a coal]. |
| carnelian cornelian | a dull red or reddish-white kind of chalcedony. |
| carnotite | a yellow uranium ore. |
| cauk cawk | an opaque, compact variety of BARITE, or heavy spar. |
| celestine celestite | native strontium sulphate, so named from its occasional delicate blue color. |
| ceria | cerium oxide. |
| ceruse | white lead, used as a pigment. |
| cerusite cerussite | native lead carbonate, occurring in colorless, white, or yellowish transparent crystals. |
| ceylanite ceylonite | a mineral, aka PLEONASTE, a dark-green to black variety of spinel. |
| chabazite | a colourless, pink, or yellow zeolite which usu. occurs as rhombohedral crystals. |
| chalybite | native iron carbonate, aka SIDERITE. |
| cheralite | a radioactive mineral rich in thorium and uranium. |
| chert | a microcrystalline form of silica, occurring as several varieties. Aka HORNSTONE. |
| cherty | like chert; containing chert > CHERTIER, CHERTIEST. |
| chromite | a black submetallic mineral consisting of oxide of chromium and iron. |
| cimolite | a soft, earthy, clayey mineral, of whitish or grayish color. |
| cinnabar | a red crystalline form of mercuric sulfide used as a pigment. |
| cleveite | a radioactive mineral. |
| clinopyroxene | a member of the pyroxene group of minerals having a monoclinic crystal structure, such as augite, diopside, or jadeite. |
| cobaltic | pertaining to, derived from, or containing, cobalt. |
| cobaltine cobaltite | a mineral of a nearly silver-white color, composed of arsenic, sulphur, and cobalt. |
| coccolite | a granular variety of pyroxene, green or white in color. |
| coesite | a type of silica. |
| coffinite | a uranium-yielding ore. |
| colcothar | polishing rouge; a reddish brown oxide of iron, used in polishing glass, and also as a pigment. [Arabic qolqotar]. |
| coltan | a metallic ore of COLUMBITE and TANTALITE, found in the Congo. |
| columbite | the chief ore of niobium, an orthorhombic oxide of iron, manganese, and niobium, aka NIOBITE. |
| copperas | ferrous sulphate heptahydrate, a green crystalline compound used in inks and pigments and in medicine. Pl. COPPERASES. |
| corallite | a mineral substance or petrifaction, in the form of coral. |
| cornelian | see CARNELIAN. |
| corundum | a mineral consisting of alumina, second in hardness only to the diamond (varieties include sapphire, ruby, emery). [Tamil kurundam]. |
| covelline covellite | a native sulphide of copper, occuring in masses of a dark blue color. |
| crocoite crocoisite | a bright red mineral, lead chromate. |
| cryolite kryolite kryolith | an aluminum ore. |
| cuprite | an ore of copper. |
| curite | a radioactive mineral. |
| cyanite kyanite | a mineral, an aluminum silicate, usually sky-blue. |
| cyanitic | of or like CYANITE, a mineral, an aluminum silicate, usually sky-blue. |
| cymophane | cat's-eye, a variety of chrysoberyl with wavy opalescence. |
| datolite | a borosilicate of lime commonly occuring in glassy, greenish crystals. |
| dawsonite | a hydrous carbonate of alumina and soda, occurring in white, bladed crustals. |
| demantoid | a lustrous green gem variety of andradite garnet. |
| dendrite | an arborescent -- i.e. irregularly branching like a tree -- mineral growth (commonly of some manganese oxide). |
| dendritic dendritical | of or like a DENDRITE. |
| desmine | the mineral STILBITE, occurring in bundles. |
| diallage | a brown, green or grey form of AUGITE. [Gk. diallage interchange]. |
| diallagic | relating to DIALLAGE. |
| dialogite | a native carbonate of manganese, aka RHODOCHROSITE. |
| diamond | an allotropic form of carbon; (verb) to furnish or adorn (as) with diamonds. |
| diaspore | a hydrate of ALUMINA, often occurring in white lamellar masses with brilliant pearly lustre. |
| dichroite | a mineral, IOLITE or CORDIERITE; -- so called from its presenting two different colors when viewed in two different directions. |
| dimetric | pertaining to a type of crystal system. |
| dimorph | either one of the two forms of a dimorphous substance; as, CALCITE and ARAGONITE are dimorphs. |
| diopside | a crystallized variety of PYROXENE, of a clear, grayish green color. |
| diopsidic | relating to DIOPSIDE, a crystallized variety of PYROXENE, of a clear, grayish green color. |
| dioptase | a hydrous silicate of copper, occurring in emerald-green crystals. |
| disthene | a mineral, aka CYANITE or KYANITE-- so called in allusion to its unequal hardness in two different directions. |
| dolomite | a mineral, double carbonate of calcium and magnesium; a rock composed of that mineral, magnesian limestone. |
| dolostone | a rock composed of DOLOMITE. |
| drice | dry ice or frozen granular carbon dioxide. |
| dripstone | mineral matter deposited from a dripping solution e.g. stalactites. Cf. SPELEOTHEM. |
| drusy | rough with or composed of minute crystals > DRUSIER, DRUSIEST. |
| dysodil dysodile dysodyle | an impure earthy or coaly bitumen, which emits a highly fetid odor when burning. |
| earthwax | a waxy natural paraffin, aka OZOKERITE. |
| elaeolite | a variety of nephelite, usually massive, of greasy luster, and gray to reddish color. |
| elaterite | elastic bitumen, a rubber-like mineral resin. |
| emerald | a green variety of BERYL. |
| enargite | a dark-grey crystalline copper arsenic sulphide, a minor ore of copper. |
| enhydrite | a mineral with fluid inclusions. |
| enhydros | a variety of CHALCEDONY containing water. [Gk. enydros containing water, from en in + hydor, water]. Pl. ENHYDROSES. |
| enstatite | a mineral of the pyroxene group, a silicate of magnesia with some iron. BRONZITE is a ferriferous variety. |
| epidote | a silicate of alumina, lime, and oxide of iron, or manganese. |
| epidotic | related to, resembling, or containing EPIDOTE; as, an epidotic granite. |
| epsomite | native sulphate of magnesia or Epsom salt. |
| erbia | erbium oxide. [From the town of YTTERBY]. |
| erinite | a basic arsenate of copper. |
| erionite | a mineral which occurs in white wool-like crystals. |
| erythrite | a reddish hydrous arsenate of cobalt. |
| essonite hessonite | cinnamon stone, a variety of garnet. [Gk. hesson, inferior (i.e. in hardness, to hyacinth which it resembles)]. |
| euclase | a hydrated beryllium aluminium silicate occurring in pale-green transparent crystals. |
| eudialyte | a silicate of zirconium, sodium, calcium and iron, occurring in Greenland, easily dissolved by acids. |
| euxenite | a NIOBATE and TANTALATE of yttrium and other rare earth elements and uranium. |
| fahlerz fahlore | any grey copper ore of the system whose typical forms are TETRAHEDRITE and TENNANTITE. |
| fayalite | a black, greenish, or brownish mineral of the CHRYSOLITE group. It is a silicate of iron. |
| feldspar feldspath | felspar a common rock-forming mineral. |
| fermium | a radioactive element, no. 100. |
| ferrite | a form of pure iron. |
| ferritic | consisting mainly of FERRITE, a form of pure iron. |
| fibrolite | a silicate of alumina, of fibrous or columnar structure. It is like ANDALUSITE in composition; aka SILLIMANITE. |
| firestone | iron pyrites, formerly used for striking fire. |
| flinkite | a brownish-green mineral, manganese arsenate. |
| flint | a variety of quartz, or a concretion of silica; (verb) to provide with a flint, for spark production. |
| flowstone | a general term for deposits formed by dripping and flowing water on walls and floors of caves. |
| fluor fluorite fluorspar | a mineral, calcium fluoride. [L. fluor, to flow, from its use as a flux]. |
| foid | an agreed term for FELDSPATHOID, any mineral of a group related to FELDSPAR. |
| forsterite | a white, yellow, or green mineral of the olivine group consisting of magnesium silicate. [After J. R. Forster (1729-98), German naturalist]. |
| fuchsite | a brilliant green chromium mica. |
| gahnite | a mineral, zinc spinel. [From J.G.Gahn, a Swedish chemist]. |
| galena galenite | an ore of lead. |
| galenic | relating to GALENA, lead ore. |
| galenoid | of or like GALENA, a lead ore. |
| garnet | a name given to various silicates, some semi-precious. |
| gehlenite | a mineral, calcium aluminum silicate. |
| gemstone | a precious or semiprecious stone, esp. one cut and polished for setting in jewellery. |
| germanite | a complex mineral, basically copper arsenic sulphide. |
| geyserite | a deposit from hot springs, aka SINTER. |
| gibbsite | a hydrate of alumina. |
| gilsonite | another name for UINTAITE. |
| girasol girasole girosol | a fire-opal. |
| globulite | a rudimentary form of crystallite, spherical in shape. |
| gmelinite | a rhombohedral zeolitic mineral, related in form and composition to CHABAZITE. [From C.G.Gmelin, a German chemist]. |
| goethite gothite | a hydrous oxide of iron, occurring in prismatic crystals. |
| goldstone | a mineral, AVENTURINE with gold-colored inclusions. |
| goslarite | a rare mineral, hydrated zinc sulphate, found at Goslar in the Harz Mountains. |
| gothite | see GOETHITE. |
| granitite | biotite granite. |
| graphite | a soft allotrope of carbon. |
| graphitic | pertaining to, containing, derived from, or resembling, GRAPHITE. |
| grossular | a garnet containing calcium and aluminium, occurring in grey, pinkish, or yellow-green crystals and used as a gemstone. |
| gummite | hydrated oxide of uranium and lead. |
| gypseous | resembling or containing GYPSUM; partaking of the qualities of gypsum. |
| gypsum | hydrated calcium sulphate, a soft mineral used for making plaster of Paris and as a fertilizer. |
| gyrolite | a hydrated calcium silicate. |
| haematite hematite | an ore of iron. |
| haematitic | of or like HAEMATITE, an ore of iron. |
| harmotome | a monoclinic hydrated silicate of aluminium and barium. [Gk. harmos, joint, + tomos, cut]. |
| hauyne | a blue mineral, found in lapis lazuli. [From Fr. mineralogist Rene J. Hauy]. |
| hedyphane | a white variety of green lead ore, arsenate, phosphate and chlorate of lead and calcium with barium. [Gk. hedys, sweet, pleasant]. |
| heliodor | a variety of clear yellow beryl occurring in S.W. Africa. [Gk. 'sun gift']. |
| hematitic | of or pertaining to HEMATITE, or resembling it. |
| hepatite | a variety of BARITE emitting a fetid odor when rubbed or heated. |
| hercynite | black spinel, an aluminate of iron. |
| hessite | a lead-gray sectile mineral, a telluride of silver. |
| hessonite | see ESSONITE. |
| hiddenite | an emerald-green variety of SPODUMENE found in North Carolina. [From W.E.Hidden]. |
| holmia | an oxide of HOLMIUM. |
| hornstone | an alternative name sometimes given to CHERT. |
| humite | a magnesium orthosilicate. |
| hyalite | a pellucid variety of opal in globules looking like colorless gum or resin. |
| icestone | another name for CRYOLITE, an aluminum ore. |
| idocrase | a silicate of calcium, magnesium, and aluminium, occurring as brown, yellow, or green crystals or masses in metamorphosed limestones. Aka VESUVIANITE. [Gk. eidos, likeness + krasis, mixture]. |
| illite | a white or pale clay mineral found in shales or sediments. |
| illitic | of or like ILLITE, a clay mineral. |
| ilmenite | a brownish-black titanium ore. |
| impsonite | an organic compound of the asphaltic group. [From Impson valley, Oklahoma]. |
| inosilicate | a class of polymeric silicates. |
| iodyrite | native silver iodide, a yellow or greenish mineral crystallizing in the hexagonal system. |
| iolite | a transparent gem, varying in colour with the light it transmits. [Gk. ion, violet + lithos, stone]. |
| ionium | a radioactive isotope of THORIUM. |
| ironstone | a hard, earthy ore of iron. |
| jacinth | an orange-colored variety of the gem hyacinth. |
| jade | a precious stone. [Spaniards who first met this stone in the 16th century believed that it had the power to cure kidney problems, so called it piedra de ijada, kidney-stone]. (Verb) to tire. |
| jadeite | a monoclinic silicate of sodium, aluminium, and ferric iron. |
| jadelike | like jade. |
| jaditic | of or like JADEITE, a mineral. |
| jargoon | a brilliant pale or colourless zircon. |
| jarosite | a hexagonal basic sulphate of potassium and iron occurring as yellow or brown crusts on ferruginous ores. |
| jasp | = JASPER, a precious stone. |
| jasper | a red variety of CHERT, its color coming from minute particles of included HEMATITE. |
| jasperise jasperize | to turn into, or cause to resemble, JASPER. |
| jasperous | of or like JASPER. |
| jaspery | of the nature of jasper; mixed with jasper > JASPERIER, JASPERIEST. |
| jaspidean jaspideous | consisting of jasper, or containing jasper. |
| jaspis | an old name for JASPER. |
| jeat jet | a hard black variety of LIGNITE. |
| jud | a mass of coal. |
| kalinite | native potash alum. |
| kamacite | a variety of nickeliferous iron, found in meteorites. |
| kaolin kaoline | a very pure white clay used to form the paste of porcelain; aka China clay. |
| kaolinic | relating to KAOLIN, a very pure white clay. |
| kaolinise kaolinize | to turn into KAOLIN, a very pure white clay. |
| kaolinite | a hydrated aluminum silicate. |
| kelyphitic | a mineralogical term. |
| kermesite | a cherry-red mineral, antimony oxysulphide. |
| kernite | a hydrated oxide of sodium and boron. |
| kerogen | a kind of bitumen found in oil shale. |
| kieserite | hydrous sulphate of magnesia found at the salt mines of Stassfurt, Prussian Saxony. |
| kryolite | see CRYOLITE. |
| kryolith | see CRYOLITE. |
| kunzite | a lilac variety of SPODUMENE, used as a gemstone. [From G.F.Kunz, am American gemmologist]. |
| kyanite | see CYANITE. |
| kyanitic | of or like KYANITE. |
| lardalite laurdalite | a coarse nepheline SYENITE. |
| larvikite laurvikite | a mineral, a soda SYENITE. |
| lazuli | a blue semi-precious stone composed chiefly of a sulphur-containing silicate of sodium and aluminium. |
| lazulite | a mineral of a light indigo-blue color, a hydrous phosphate of alumina and magnesia. |
| lazurite | a blue cubic mineral, sodium aluminum silicate. |
| leucite | a silicate of aluminium and potassium, named for its whitish colour. |
| lewisite | a yellow or brown mineral containing antimony. |
| ligure | a gemstone, perh. the modern jacinth, i.e, a reddish-orange variety of zircon used as a gem. |
| limonite | a mixture of hydrous ferric oxides and important as an iron ore. |
| limonitic | of or like LIMONITE, hydrous sesquioxide of iron. |
| litharge | lead monoxide, PbO, a toxic red or yellow solid prepared by oxidation of lead in air and used as a pigment and in making glass and ceramics. |
| lithia | lithium oxide, a strong alkaline caustic similar to potash and soda, but weaker. |
| lithotype | a type of coal. |
| loadstone lodestone | MAGNETITE that is naturally magnetized; a piece of this used as a magnet. |
| maceral | any of the organic elements that constitute coal. |
| macle | a mineral, aka CHIASTOLITE; -- so called from the tessellated appearance of a cross section. |
| macrodome | a dome parallel to the longer lateral axis of an orthorhombic crystal. |
| magnes | a lodestone. Pl. MAGNESES. |
| magnesia | an ore of magnesium. |
| magnesic | pertaining to, or containing, magnesium; as, magnesic oxide. |
| magnesite | native magnesium carbonate occurring in white compact or granular masses, and also in rhombohedral crystals. |
| magnetite | magnetic iron ore (Fe3O4), called lodestone when polar. |
| magnetitic | of or like MAGNETITE. |
| malachite | native hydrous carbonate of copper, usually occurring in green mammillary masses with concentric fibrous structure. |
| maltha | a thick mineral pitch. |
| manganite | one of the oxides of manganese. It occurs in brilliant steel-gray or iron-black crystals, also massive. |
| manganous | of, pertaining to, designating, those compounds of manganese in which the element has a lower valence as contrasted with manganic compounds; as, manganous oxide. |
| marcasite | a sulphide of iron resembling pyrite or common iron pyrites in composition, but differing in form; white iron pyrites. |
| marialite | a mineral, a variety of SCAPOLITE. |
| massicot masticot | lead protoxide, obtained as a yellow amorphous powder, the fused and crystalline form of which is called LITHARGE. It is used as a pigment. |
| matte | a molten mixture of impure metal sulphides produced during the smelting of sulphide ores of copper, nickel, etc. |
| meionite | an aluminosilicate mineral, the calcium- and carbonate-rich end-member of the SCAPOLITE series. |
| melanite | a black variety of GARNET. |
| melanitic | of or like MELANITE, a black variety of GARNET. |
| mellite | a mineral of a honey color, found in brown coal, and partly the result of vegetable decomposition. |
| menilite | a kind of opal, aka liver opal. |
| mesolite | a zeolitic mineral, a hydrous silicate of alumina, lime, and soda. |
| metamict | of or denoting the amorphous state of a substance that has lost its crystalline structure as a result of the radioactivity of uranium or thorium within it. |
| mica | a rock-forming mineral (muscovite, biotite, lepidolite, etc) with perfect basal cleavage. |
| micaceous | consisting of or made of mica. |
| micate | to furnish with mica. |
| microlite | a rare mineral of resinous luster and high specific gravity, a tantalate of calcium. |
| millerite | nickel sulfide. |
| mimetite | an arseniate of lead, occurring in pale yellow or brownish hexagonal crystals. |
| mispickel | arsenical iron pyrites; aka ARSENOPYRITE. |
| mizzonite | a SCAPOLITE richer in sodium than MEIONITE. |
| moldavite | a green TEKTITE found in the Czech republic, thought to be the product of an ancient meteorite impact in Germany. |
| monazite | a phosphate of cerium, lanthanum, other rare-earth elements, and thorium. |
| moonstone | a nearly pellucid variety of feldspar, showing pearly or opaline reflections from within. |
| morganite | a rosy pink semi-precious gem, a variety of beryl. |
| mullite | a colourless orthorhombic aluminium silicate used in refractory porcelains and bricks. [From Island of Mull]. |
| mundic | iron pyrites, or arsenical pyrites; -- so called by the Cornish miners. |
| muscovite | a type of mica, used as an insulator. |
| nacrite | a clay mineral. |
| natrolite | a zeolite occuring in groups of glassy acicular crystals, and in masses which often have a radiated structure. It is a hydrous silicate of alumina and soda. |
| nepheline | a mineral found in igneous rocks and used for ceramics and enamels. |
| nephelite | a silicate of aluminia, soda, and potash occuring at Vesuvius, in glassy agonal crystals; also elsewhere, in grayish or greenish masses having a greasy luster, as the variety ELAEOLITE. |
| nephrite | a kind of jade used as charm against kidney disease; kidney stone. |
| niccolite | a mineral of a copper-red color and metallic luster; an arsenide of nickel. |
| nickelous | of, pertaining to, or designating, those compounds of nickel in which, as contrasted with the nickelic compounds, the metal has a lower valence; as, nickelous oxide. |
| niobite | the chief ore of niobium, an orthorhombic oxide of iron, manganese, and niobium, aka COLUMBITE. |
| nitratine | a mineral occurring in transparent crystals, native sodium nitrate. |
| nosean noselite | a cubic mineral, aluminum sodium silicate and sulphur. |
| oligist | more fully oligist iron > HAEMATITE. |
| olivenite | an olive-green hydrous arseniate of copper. |
| olivine | a mineral, iron and magnesium silicate, used as refractory and in cements. |
| olivinic | of or like OLIVINE, a mineral, iron and magnesium silicate. |
| omphacite | a grass-green PYROXENE. |
| onyx | a form of chalcedony consisting of plane layers of different colours, much used for cameos. |
| opal | an amorphous variety of SILICA. |
| orpiment | a yellow arsenic compound used as a pigment. [L. auripigmentum]. |
| orthoaxis | in crystallography, the orthodiagonal. Pl. ORTHOAXES. |
| ottrelite | a micaceous mineral occurring in small scales. It is characteristic of certain crystalline schists. |
| oxidable | capable of being converted into an oxide. |
| ozocerite ozokerite | a waxy natural paraffin. |
| pagodite | a soft, greenish, greyish or yellowish mineral, thought to be a variety of pinite, known particularly for its use by the Chinese for carving. |
| paramorph | a kind of pseudomorph, in which there has been a change of physical characters without alteration of chemical composition, as the change of aragonite to calcite. |
| pargasite | a dark green aluminous variety of amphibole, or hornblende. |
| passivate | to coat metal with oxides to protect from corrosion. |
| pectolite | a hydrous silicate of lime and soda, occurring in radiated or fibrous crystalline masses. |
| pennine penninite | a mineral of the chlorite group. |
| pentoxide | an oxide containing five atoms of oxygen in each molecule; as, phosphorus pentoxide, P2O5. |
| periclase | isomeric crystals of magnesium oxide. |
| pericline | a variety of ALBITE occurring as large elongated white crystals, often twinned. |
| peridot peridote | a gemstone, a pale green variety of OLIVINE. |
| perimorph | a crystal of one species enclosing one of another species. |
| perthite | a variety of alkali feldspar. |
| perthitic | relating to PERTHITE, a variety of alkali feldspar. |
| petroleum | a general term including both oil and natural gas. |
| phacolite | a colorless variety of CHABAZITE, a mineral of the ZEOLITE group, occurring as crystals of lenticular form. |
| phenacite phenakite | a rare trigonal silicate of beryllium that is a rock- forming mineral occurring as colourless or white scales and prisms. |
| phengite | a transparent stone used in ancient times for windows, probably SELENITE. |
| phosgene | a colorless poison gas made from chlorine and carbon monoxide. |
| phosgenite | a rare fluorescent secondary mineral consisting of lead chloro-carbonate in the form of greyish tetragonal crystals. |
| phyllite | a metamorphosed mudstone with a silky sheen, more coarse-grained than a slate and less coarse-grained than a SCHIST. |
| phyllitic | of or like PHYLLITE, a metamorphosed mudstone with a silky sheen. |
| picotite | a dark spinel containing iron, magnesium and chromium. |
| piedmontite piemontite | a dark-red mineral, a hydrated silicate of calcium, aluminium, managanese and iron. |
| pigeonite | a monoclinic mineral of the PYROXENE group. |
| pinite | a greyish-green or brown mineral containing amorphous aluminium and potassium sulphates. |
| pisolite pisolith | a variety of calcite, or calcium carbonate, consisting of aggregated globular concretions about the size of a pea. |
| pisolitic | composed of, containing, or resembling, PISOLITE, a variety of calcite. |
| pleonaste | a dark-green to black variety of spinel. |
| plumbago | graphite. [L. plumbago, from plumbum, lead]. Pl. PLUMBAGOS. |
| polianite | manganese dioxide, occurring in tetragonal crystals nearly as hard as quartz. |
| pollucite | a colourless rare mineral, hydrated caesium aluminium silicate. |
| polybasite | a grey to black mineral consisting of a sulphide of silver, antimony, and copper in the form of platelike monoclinic crystals. |
| pompholyx | impure zinc oxide. |
| potassa | potassium oxide. |
| potstone | a variety of steatite sometimes manufactured into culinary vessels. |
| powellite | calcium molybdate. |
| prase | a leek-green quartz. |
| prehnite | an orthorhombic basic silicate of aluminium and calcium, usu. occurring in pale green vitreous masses. |
| propylite | an andesite altered by SOLFATARIC action. |
| protore | a metalliferous material prior to the formation of ore by enrichment. |
| proustite | a sulphide of arsenic and silver of a beautiful cochineal-red color, occurring in rhombohedral crystals, and also massive; aka ruby silver. |
| pycnite | a massive subcolumnar variety of topaz. |
| pyreneite | a black garnet. |
| pyrite | native iron disulphide, a brassy-yellow mineral with a metallic lustre. |
| pyrites | either of the two common forms of iron disulphide, pyrite and marcasite (also iron pyrites). [Gk. pyrites, striking fire, from pyr, fire]. |
| pyritic pyritical pyritous | consisting of, or resembling, PYRITES. |
| pyritise pyritize | to convert into, or replace by, PYRITES. |
| pyrope | a variety of garnet, used as a gemstone. [Gk. pyropos fiery-eyed, from pyr, fire + ops, opos, eye, face]. |
| pyropus | = PYROPE, a fiery red gemstone, a variety of garnet. |
| pyroxene | any of a group of silicate minerals. |
| pyroxenic | containing pyroxene; composed chiefly of PYROXENE. |
| quartz | the commonest rock-forming mineral, composed of silica. |
| quartzous | of or containing QUARTZ. |
| quartzy | of or resembling quartz > QUARTZIER, QUARTZIEST. |
| realgar resalgar | a bright-red monoclinic mineral. [Arabic rajh al gar, powder of the cave]. |
| regulus | impure metal; an intermediate product in ore smelting. Pl. REGULI or REGULUSES. |
| resalgar | see REALGAR. |
| retinite | an inflammable mineral resin, usually of a yellowish brown color, found in roundish masses, sometimes with coal. |
| rhodolite | a rose-red or pink garnet gem. [Gk. rhodo-, (red)]. |
| rhodonite | manganese spar, or silicate of manganese, a mineral occurring in crystallised and in rose-red masses. |
| rosaker | a bright-red monoclinic mineral, now called REALGAR. |
| rubace rubasse | a kind of ruby-red quartz. |
| rubellan | an altered BIOTITE, mica containing iron and magnesia, generally of a black or dark green color. |
| rubellite | a variety of tourmaline varying in color from a pale rose to a deep ruby, and containing lithium. |
| rubicelle | a variety of ruby of a yellowish red color, from Brazil. |
| rubigo | red iron oxide. [L. rubigo, rust]. Pl. RUBIGOS. |
| ruby | a pure transparent red corundum; (verb) to redden; (adj.) red like a ruby > RUBIER, RUBIEST. |
| rutilated | of quartz, containing needles of RUTILE. |
| rutile | a tetragonal, usu. reddish-brown, mineral, titanium dioxide, that is an important ore of titanium. |
| sagenite | a form of RUTILE. |
| sagenitic | pertaining to SAGENITE, a form of RUTILE. |
| salband | a crust or coating of mineral. |
| salic | of minerals, rich in silicon and aluminum. |
| saltpetre saltpeter | potassium nitrate, occurring as a white crystalline substance with a saline taste and used in preserving meat and as the chief constituent of gunpowder. |
| sanidine | a variety of orthoclase feldspar common in certain eruptive rocks, such as TRACHYTE. |
| saponite | a hydrous silicate of magnesia and alumina occurring in soft, soapy, amorphous masses. |
| sapphire | a precious variety of CORUNDUM, usually blue. |
| sard sardius | a deep orange-colored kind of CHALCEDONY. The pl. of SARDIUS is SARDIUSES. |
| sardonyx | an onyx with alternate layers of sard and other mineral. [Gk. sardonyx, from Sardios, Sardian + onyx, a nail]. |
| scandia | a chemical earth, the oxide of SCANDIUM. |
| scapolite | a grayish white mineral occuring in tetragonal crystals and in cleavable masses. It is essentially a silicate of alumina and soda. |
| scawtite | a carbonate or silicate of calcium, occurring naturally in small crystals. |
| scheelite | calcium tungstate, a mineral of a white or pale yellowish color and of the tetragonal system of crystallization. |
| schorl shorl | TOURMALINE, esp. black tourmaline. |
| scolecite | a hydrous silicate of alumina and lime, occuring in delicate radiating groups of white crystals. |
| scorodite | a leek-green or brownish mineral occurring in orthorhombic crystals. It is a hydrous arseniate of iron. |
| senarmontite | antimony trioxide in cubic crystalline form. |
| sepiolite | hydrated magnesium silicate occurring as a soft white or yellowish claylike mineral; aka MEERSCHAUM. |
| septarium | a nodule of mineral substance with a network of cracks filled with another mineral. Pl. SEPTARIA. |
| sericite | a silky soapy potash mica. |
| sericitic | like SERICITE, a silky soapy potash mica. |
| shorl | see SCHORL. |
| siderite | carbonate of iron, an important ore of iron occuring generally in cleavable masses, but also in rhombohedral crystals. It is of a light yellowish brown color. Aka CHALYBITE, sparry iron, spathic iron. |
| sideritic | relating to SIDERITE, carbonate of iron, an important ore of iron. |
| silica | the dioxide of silicon, occurring naturally as quartz, CRISTOBALITE, and TRIDYMITE |
| sinopite | an iron ore, from which the pigment SINOPIA is obtained. |
| skutterudite | a cubic mineral, cobalt arsenide. |
| smaltine smaltite | a gray mineral of metallic luster, an arsenide of cobalt, nickel, and iron. |
| smaragd smaragde | an old name for EMERALD. |
| smectite | the family of minerals that are consituents of clays, including BENTONITE and SAPONITE. |
| smectitic | of or like SMECTITE, a hydrous silicate of alumina. |
| sodalite | a transparent or translucent vitreous cubic silicate of aluminium and sodium containing sodium chloride, usually azure-blue. |
| spar | any translucent to transparent non-metallic mineral with clean cleavage planes; (verb) to practise boxing. |
| sparry | of or like spar, the mineral > SPARRIER, SPARRIEST. |
| spathic spathose | relating to SPAR. |
| sphaerite | a hydrous aluminium phosphate. |
| sphene | calcium titanium silicate, occurring as wedge-shaped monoclinic crystals, usu. greenish-yellow or brown, as an accessory mineral in granitic and metamorphic rocks. Aka TITANITE. |
| spinel spinelle | any mineral of a group of aluminates, ferrates, and chromates of magnesium, iron, zinc, etc crystallizing in octahedra. |
| spodumene | a mineral of a white to yellowish, purplish, or emerald-green color, occuring in prismatic crystals, often of great size. It is a silicate of aluminia and LITHIA. |
| stannite | a mineral of a steel-gray or iron-black color; tin pyrites. It is a sulphide of tin, copper, and iron. |
| starstone | asteriated sapphire. |
| steatite | the massive white-green talc that is used in paints, ceramics, and insulation. |
| steatitic | pertaining to, or of the nature of, STEATITE; containing or resembling steatite. |
| stibnite | a mineral of a lead-gray color and brilliant metallic luster, occurring in prismatic crystals; a sulphide of antimony. |
| stilbite | a common mineral of the zeolite family, a hydrous silicate of alumina and lime. |
| strontia strontian | an earth of a white color resembling lime in appearance, and baryta in many of its properties. It is an oxide of the metal STRONTIUM. |
| suboxide | an oxide containing a relatively small amount of oxygen, and less than the normal proportion; as, potassium suboxide, K4O. |
| sunstone | a mineral, aka aventurine feldspar. |
| sylvanite | a monoclinic telluride of gold and silver that occurs as silver or yellow crystals or masses with metallic lustre. |
| sylvin sylvine sylvite | a native potassium chloride, a source of potash. |
| taconite | a bedded ferruginous CHERT containing at least 25% iron. |
| talc | a soft greasy white mineral, acid magnesium silicate; (verb) to sprinkle with talc > TALCED/TALCKED. |
| talcky talcy | like TALC > TALCKIER, TALCKIEST and TALCIER, TALCIEST. |
| talcose talcous | of or pertaining to talc; composed of, or resembling, talc. |
| tantalite | an orthorhombic tantalate of ferrous iron, occurring as black lustrous crystals. |
| tanzanite | a gemstone that exhibits blue, violet, or greenish color depending on the polarization of the light. |
| tenorite | a triclinic oxide of copper that occurs in minute iron-grey scales or black masses and is an ore of copper. |
| tephroite | an orthorhombic manganese silicate of the olivine group which forms ashy grey or reddish crystalline masses. |
| terbia | an oxide of TERBIUM. |
| thenardite | a whitish vitreous mineral that consists of anhydrous sodium sulphate and occurs in saline residues. |
| thoria | a rare white earthy substance, an oxide of THORIUM. |
| thorite | a silicate of THORIUM. |
| thorium | a radioactive metallic element, atomic no. 90. |
| thulite | a red ZOISITE found in Norway. |
| tigereye | a golden brown striped pseudomorph of quartz after crocidolite. |
| tincal | a crude native BORAX, formerly imported from Tibet. It was once the chief source of boric compounds. [Malay tingkal]. |
| tinstone | an ore of tin, CASSITERITE. |
| titania | a mineral, an oxide of TITANIUM. |
| titanite | a brown, green or yellow monoclinic mineral, calcium silicate and titanate. Aka SPHENE. |
| topaz | a precious stone, a silicate of aluminium and fluorine. |
| topazine | of or like TOPAZ. |
| tremolite | a white variety of amphibole, or hornblende, occurring in long, bladelike crystals, and coarsely fibrous masses. |
| trichite | a kind of crystallite resembling a bunch of hairs, common in obsidian. |
| trichitic | relating to a TRICHITE, a kind of crystallite resembling a bunch of hairs, common in obsidian. |
| tridymite | a high temperature form of QUARTZ which occurs as thin hexagonal tabular crystals and is found in igneous rocks and stony meteorites. |
| triphylite | a bluish-grey rare mineral that consists of lithium iron phosphate in orthorhombic crystalline form and occurs in pegmatites. |
| triplite | a fluophosphate of iron and manganese, of a dark brown color, generally with a fibrous, massive structure. |
| troilite | native iron protosulphide, FeS. It is known only in meteoric irons, and is usually in imbedded nodular masses of a bronze color. |
| troostite | a reddish or greyish variety of WILLEMITE. |
| tungstite | a yellow earthy mineral, tungsten oxide. |
| turgite | an iron ore. |
| turkies turkis turkois | old names for TURQUOISE. |
| turquois turquoise | a hydrous phosphate of alumina containing a little copper, having a blue, or bluish green, color. |
| tutty | crude zinc oxide. |
| uintahite uintaite | a tar-like asphalt found in the Uinta valley, Utah. |
| ulexite | a hydrous borate of lime and soda occurring in white rounded crystalline masses. |
| umangite | a dark-red copper selenide. |
| unakite | a mineral. |
| uralite | an altered mineral, HORNBLENDE after AUGITE. |
| uralitic | pertaining to URALITE, a hornblende mineral. |
| uralitise uralitize | to turn into URALITE. |
| urania | a mineral, uranium dioxide. |
| uraninite | uranium dioxide, the major ore of uranium, found most frequently in botryoidal form as PITCHBLENDE. |
| uranite | a mineral, aka AUTUNITE or TORBERNITE. |
| uranylic | relating to URANYL, uranium oxide. |
| uvarovite | a green lime-chrome garnet. [From Count S. S. Uvarov, a Russian minister of education]. |
| variscite | an apple-green mineral occurring in reniform masses. It is a hydrous phosphate of alumina. |
| verdite | a S. African green mica. |
| vitrain | a separable constituent of bright coal, of glassy appearance. |
| vivianite | a hydrous phosphate of iron of a blue to green color, growing darker on exposure. It occurs in monoclinic crystals, also fibrous, massive, and earthy. |
| vulpinite | a scaly granular variety of anhydrite of a grayish white color, used for ornamental purposes. |
| wad wadd wadt | an earthy ore of manganese. |
| wallsend | coal of a certain quality and size; orig. coal dug at Wallsend. |
| wavellite | a hydrous phosphate of alumina, occurring usually in hemispherical radiated forms varying in color from white to yellow, green, or black. |
| wellsite | a kind of mineral. |
| wernerite | the common grayish or white variety of SCAPOLITE. |
| willemite | a silicate of zinc, usually occurring massive and of a greenish yellow color, also in reddish crystals containing manganese. |
| witherite | barium carbonate occurring in white or gray six-sided twin crystals, and also in columnar or granular masses. |
| wolframite | a monoclinic tungstate of iron and manganese, which occurs as black to brown crystals, blades, granules and masses, and is the chief ore of tungsten. |
| woodstone | a striped variety of HORNSTONE, resembling wood in appearance. |
| wulfenite | a MOLYBDATE of lead. |
| wurtzite | a sulphide of zinc. |
| xenoblast | a type of mineral deposit. |
| xenocryst | a crystal or mineral grain which has been taken in by magma during its upward flow. |
| xenotime | a native phosphate of YTTRIUM occurring in yellowish-brown tetragonal crystals. [Gk. xenos strange, in error for kenos empty, vain, and time honour, in reference to the fact that the mineral was at first thought to contain a new metal]. |
| yag | a type of synthetic garnet containing yttrium and aluminium, used in lasers and as a gem. |
| ytterbia | ytterbium oxide. |
| ytterbite | the mineral GADOLINITE. |
| yttria | the oxide of the element YTTRIUM. |
| yu | a precious jade. Pl. YUS. |
| zaffar zaffer zaffir zaffre | an impure oxide of cobalt. |
| zaratite | a hydrous carbonate of nickel occurring as an emerald-green incrustation on chromite. |
| zarnec zarnich | a native sulphide of arsenic. |
| zeolite | any of a larger group of alumino-silicate minerals. |
| zeolitic | of or pertaining to a ZEOLITE; consisting of, or resembling, a zeolite. |
| zeuxite | a ferriferous tourmaline. [Gk. zeuxis, joining]. |
| zinkenite zinckenite | a steel-gray metallic mineral, a sulphide of antimony and lead. |
| zircon | a tetragonal silicate of ZIRCONIUM, occurring in variously coloured prismatic crystals, and mined as the main ore of zirconium. |
| zirconia | zirconium dioxide, a white powder usu. obtained by heating zirconium salts and used in refractory coatings, ceramic glazes, etc. |
| zoisite | an orthorhombic basic silicate of calcium and aluminium, usu. occurring in greyish-white or greenish prismatic crystals. |
| zorgite | a metallic copper-lead selenite. [From Zorge in the Harz mountains]. |