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calcite

   Also found in: Medical, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
cal·cite  (klst)
n.
A common crystalline form of natural calcium carbonate, CaCO3, that is the basic constituent of limestone, marble, and chalk. Also called calcspar.

cal·citic (-stk) adj.

calcite [ˈkælsaɪt]
n
(Earth Sciences / Minerals) a colourless or white mineral (occasionally tinged with impurities), found in sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, in veins, in limestone, and in stalagmites and stalactites. It is used in the manufacture of cement, plaster, paint, glass, and fertilizer. Composition: calcium carbonate. Formula: CaCO3. Crystal structure: hexagonal (rhombohedral)
calcitic  [kælˈsɪtɪk] adj

calcite  (klst)
A usually white, clear, pale-yellow or blue orthorhombic mineral. Calcite occurs in many different forms and is the main component of chalk, limestone, and marble. It is a polymorph of aragonite. Chemical formula: CaCO3.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.calcite - a common mineral consisting of crystallized calcium carbonatecalcite - a common mineral consisting of crystallized calcium carbonate; a major constituent of limestone
Mexican onyx, onyx marble, oriental alabaster, alabaster - a hard compact kind of calcite
chalk - a soft whitish calcite
Iceland spar - a transparent calcite found in Iceland and used in polarizing microscopes
limestone - a sedimentary rock consisting mainly of calcium that was deposited by the remains of marine animals
calcium carbonate - a salt found in nature as chalk or calcite or aragonite or limestone
spar - any of various nonmetallic minerals (calcite or feldspar) that are light in color and transparent or translucent and cleavable


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The amazing part, however, is that the teeth, which need to be harder and stronger than the rocky limestone being dug out, are themselves made almost entirely of calcite - the same calcite that makes up much of the limestone.
When the solid calcite precipitated, or separated from the water solution, it left behind a river of crystals, says Penny Boston, director of the Cave and Karst Studies Program at New Mexico Tech.
Magnesium traces in calcite forms a nice pink dolomite layer, while magnesium in silicate accounts for the purples of amethyst.
 
 
 
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