bastnaesite

bast·naes·ite  (bstn-st)

n.

A yellowish to reddish-brown mineral, (Ce,La)CO₃(F,OH), that is a source of rare-earth elements, including gadolinium, samarium, and neodymium.

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[After Bastnäs, a mine in south-central Sweden.]

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bastnaesite, bastnasite [ˈbæstnəˌsaɪt]

n

(Earth Sciences / Minerals) a rare yellow to reddish-brown mineral consisting of a carbonate of fluorine and several lanthanide metals. It occurs in association with zinc and is a source of the lanthanides. Formula: LaFCO₃

[from Swedish bastnäsit, after Bastnäs, Sweden, where it was found]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

bastnaesite - a yellow-to-brown mineral that is a source of rare earth elements bastnasite atomic number 58, Ce, cerium - a ductile grey metallic element of the lanthanide series; used in lighter flints; the most abundant of the rare-earth group atomic number 60, Nd, neodymium - a yellow trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; occurs in monazite and bastnasite in association with cerium and lanthanum and praseodymium atomic number 59, Pr, praseodymium - a soft yellowish-white trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; can be recovered from bastnasite or monazite by an ion-exchange process atomic number 62, samarium, Sm - a grey lustrous metallic element of the rare earth group; is used in special alloys; occurs in monazite and bastnasite mineral - solid homogeneous inorganic substances occurring in nature having a definite chemical composition