Mindat.org Glossary of Mineralogical Terms

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• sulfur group
  The group VI elements sulfur, selenium, tellurium, and oxygen.Synonym of Sulphur Group
• chondrule
  A chondrule (from Ancient Greek χόνδρος chondros, grain) is a round grain found in a chondrite. Chondrules form as molten ...
• widmanstätten pattern
  A pattern found in many iron meteorites, which consists of a fine to coarse intergrowth of bands of kamacite and taenite, formed ...
• widmanstätten
  Widmanstätten pattern is a grid-like arrangement of kamacite exsolution lamellae in taenite, typical of iron meteorites, ...
• lagerstätte
  A Fossil-Lagerstätte (German pronunciation: [ˈlaːɡɐˌʃtɛtə] – from Lager 'storage, lair' and Stätte 'place'; pl. ...
• x-ray diffraction
  X-ray diffraction is the reflection at definite and characteristic angles from space lattices of crystals of X-rays that have ...
• detrital
  Pertaining to or formed from detritus; said esp. of rocks, minerals, and sediments. See also: clastic
• framboidal
  A texture in which minerals, especially pyrite, form spheroidal aggregates resembling a raspberry. See Framboid. PyritePyrite
• boudinage
  A structure common in strongly deformed sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, in which an original continuous competent layer or bed ...
• boudin
  i. One of a series of elongate, sausage-shaped segments occurring in boudinage structure, either separate or joined by pinched ...
• blister copper (smelted)
  Partly purified copper with a blistered surface formed during smelting. Blister copper is a term also used for a reniform ...
• symplectite
  An intimate intergrowth of two different minerals, sometimes restricted to those of secondary origin; also, a rock (igneous or ...
• fasciculated
  Arranged in bundles (fascicles). Ref: Oxford English Dictionary
• framboid
  A minute spheroidal grain of pyrite or an aggregate of such grains, commonly formed at low temperatures in oxygen-poor mud ...
• sierra
  i. A high range of hills or mountains, esp. one having jagged or irregular peaks that when projected against the sky resemble the ...
• polytypism
  One-dimensional polymorphism resulting from variable stacking of usually identical crystal structure layers. Minerals ...
• polytropy
  Probably used a synonym of polymorphism, though it has other meanings in biology and thermodynamics. Ref: Hess
• polytypy
  probably a synonym of polytypism Ref: Hess
• polymorph
  A mineral whose crystal structure is different from another mineral of identical chemical composition. For example, Al^2(SiO^4)O ...
• displacive polymorphism
  Synonym of polysyngony
• polysyngony
  A type of polymorph where two or more minerals have the same composition, but different crystal classes owing to changed bond ...
• cockscomb
  A crestlike spray of crystals resembling a roosters crest, most common in marcasite, also arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite and other ...
• coke
  i. A solid fuel made from bituminous-coal from which the volatile constituents have been driven off by heat, so that the fixed ...
• raman
  Synonym of raman spectroscopy
• silicified wood
  A material formed by replacement of wood by silica in a manner that preserves the original form and structure of the wood. The ...
• polytype
  A mineral that differs from another only in the stacking of similar structural units in its atomic structure. Polytypes are a ...
• trimorphism
  The property of a chemical compound to crystallize in any of three different crystal structures. Compare with: dimorphism, ...
• trimorph
  Synonym of trimorphism
• unit cell
  A parallelepiped unit of atomic dimensions within a crystal structure, containing all the atoms in the chemical unit in definite, ...
• polymorphism
  The characteristic of a chemical compound to crystallize in more than one crystal structure; e.g.: (1) kyanite, andalusite, and ...Synonym of polymorph
• enantiomorphism
  A type of polymorphism in which crystal forms possess neither a plane nor a center of symmetry and may occur in two positions ...
• enantiomorphous
  In crystallography, similar in form but not superposable related to each other as the right hand is to the left, hence, one the ...
• enantiomorph
  Synonym of enantiomorphism
• allotrope
  Synonym of allotropy
• allotropy
  i. The existence of a substance, esp. an element, in two or more different modifications usually in the same phase, such as ...
• geothermobarometer
  Synonym of geothermobarometry
• geothermobarometry
  Geothermobarometry is the methodology for estimating the pressure and temperature history of rocks (metamorphic, igneous or ...
• megaquartz
  Megaquartz is a name usually given to quartz with equidimensional grains over 20 microns in size, but usually
• workings
  i. Any area of mine development; usually restricted in meaning to apply to breasts, etc., in contradistinction to gangways and ...
• working
  i. When a coal seam is being squeezed by pressure from the roof and floor it emits creaking noises and is said to be 'working.' ...
• mineralogist
  Person who studies the formation, properties, use, occurrence, composition, and classification of minerals; a geologist ...
• photochromism
  The reversible transformation of the colour and other optical properties of a material when exposed to electromagnetic radiation, ...
• metamict
  i. A mineral that has become virtually amorphous owing to the breakdown of the original crystal structure by internal bombardment ...
• potash
  Potassium carbonate, K2CO3; formerly extracted from wood ashes; used as a component of glasses, glazes, and enamels to enhance ...
• solfatara
  A type of fumarole, the gases of which are characteristically sulfurous. Etymol.: the Solfatara volcano, Italy. Ref: AGI
• crenulation
  Small-scale folding (wavelength of a few millimeters) that occurs chiefly in metamorphic rocks. Adj.: crenulated. Compare ...
• plication
  Intense, small-scale folding. Adj.: plicated. Compare with: crenulation Ref: AGI
• fumarole
  A vent on the surface of the Earth from which hot volcanic gases and vapors are emitted, without any accompanying liquids or ...
• speiss
  Metallic arsenides and antimonides smelted from metal ores (often cobalt and lead, but also copper). "Speisses are alloys of ...
• matte
  A metallic sulfide mixture made by melting the roasted product in smelting sulfide ores of copper, lead, and nickel. "Matte is ...