A monoclinic mineral, (K,Na)AlSi3 O8 ; feldspar group; forms
a series with albite; prismatic cleavage; colorless; forms phenocrysts in
felsic volcanic rocks. See also:ice spar
CF:feldspar; glassy feldspar.
A monoclinic mineral (Zn,Fe)WO4 ; resembles wolframite; at San
Martin, San Luis Province, Argentina. See also:huebnerite
An orthorhombic mineral, (Na,Ca,Sr)3 (Mn,Fe)2 Mn2 (VO
4 )4 (OH,O)5 .2H2 O ; forms black needles on
limestone in New Mexico.
A pozzolana from the Greek island of Santorin. A quoted composition is 64%
SiO2 , 13% Al2 O3 , 5.5% Fe2 O3 , 1%
TiO2 , 3.5% CaO, 2% MgO, 6.5% alkalies, and 4% loss on ignition.
Dodd
The part of the rock in a quarry that is next to the surface or to joints
and crevices and has been somewhat stained and softened by weathering.
French water sapphire. An intense-blue variety of the mineral cordierite,
occurring in waterworn masses in the river gravels of Ceylon; used as a
gem stone. CMD
a. The hydrolysis of esters into acids and alcohols by the action of
alkalies or acids--by boiling with water or by the action of superheated
steam. It is the reverse process to esterification. CTD
b. Conversion into soap; the process in which fatty substances form soap,
by combination with an alkali. A term used in the flotation process.
Fay
Any compound, as a caustic alkali, used in soapmaking to convert the fatty
acids into soap. A term used in the flotation process. Standard, 2
Complex polyhydroxy carboxylic flotation reagent used as depressant. It
destroys bubble adhesion to collector-coated minerals. Pryor, 3
A monoclinic mineral, (Ca/2,Na)0.3 (Mg,Fe)3 (Si,Al)4
O10 (OH)2 .4H2 O ; smectite group; soft; massive;
plastic; unctuous; in veins and cavities in serpentinite and basalt.
Syn:bowlingite; mountain soap; piotine; soapstone. Etymol: Greek
"sapon" soap.
a. A blue gem variety of corundum. Syn:sappare
b. Any gem-quality corundum other than ruby (fancy sapphire).
c. Synthetic alumina single-crystal boules made by the Verneuil process
for use as bearings and thread guides.
A girasol sapphire with a chatoyant effect. CF:ruby cat's eye
Sapphire-blue glass.
a. An opaque blue variety of quartz colored by nonparallel fibers of
silicified crocidolite. Syn:azure quartz; blue quartz.
See also:siderite
b. Light to pale sapphire-blue quartz in the Western United States.
a. A rare aluminosilicate of magnesium occurring as disseminated blue
chalcedony. Syn:hauynite; blue chalcedony. CMD
b. A monoclinic or triclinic mineral, (Mg,Al)8 (Al,Si)6 O
20 ; light- to dark-blue to green; in Greenland, Madagascar, and
Quebec.
Indurated sapropel. Tomkeieff
A soft, earthy, typically clay-rich, thoroughly decomposed rock, formed in
place by chemical weathering of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
rocks. It often forms a layer or cover as much as 100 m thick, esp. in
humid and tropical or subtropical climates; the color is commonly some
shade of red or brown, but it may be white or gray. Saprolite is
characterized by preservation of structures that were present in the
unweathered rock. Syn:saprolith; sathrolith. CF:geest; laterite.
AGI
See:saprolite
a. An aquatic ooze or sludge rich in organic (carbonaceous or bituminous)
matter. AGI
b. A fluid organic slime originating in swamps as a product of
putrification. In its chemical composition, it contains more hydrocarbon
than peat. When dry, it is a lusterless, dull, dark, and extremely tough
mass that is hard to break up. Stutzer
A sedimentary deposit in which the amount of clay exceeds that of
sapropel. AGI