spodumene

spod·u·mene  (spj-mn)

n.

A greenish to pinkish or lilac mineral, LiAlSi₂O₆, used as a source of lithium and in transparent varieties as a gemstone.

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[French spodumène, from German Spodumen, from Greek spodoumenos, present participle of spodousthai, to be burned to ashes, from spodos, wood ashes (because the mineral becomes ash gray when exposed to air).]

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spodumene [ˈspɒdjʊˌmiːn]

n

(Earth Sciences / Minerals) a greyish-white, green, or lilac pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminium silicate in monoclinic crystalline form. It is an important ore of lithium and is used in the manufacture of glass and ceramics and as a gemstone. Formula: LiAlSi₂O₆

[from French spodumène, from German Spodumen, from Greek spodoumenos, from spodousthai to be burnt to ashes, from spodos wood ash]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

spodumene - a pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminum silicate; a source of lithium atomic number 3, Li, lithium - a soft silver-white univalent element of the alkali metal group; the lightest metal known; occurs in several minerals mineral - solid homogeneous inorganic substances occurring in nature having a definite chemical composition kunzite - a pinkish lilac crystal form of the mineral spodumene that is used as a gemstone hiddenite - a green transparent form of the mineral spodumene used as a gemstone