A possibly tetragonal mineral, Co(UO2 )2 (AsO4 ) (sub
2) .8H2 O ; meta-autunite group.
In most cases, an opaque, lustrous, elemental substance that is a good
conductor of heat and electricity. It is also malleable and ductile,
possesses high melting and boiling points, and tends to form positive ions
in chemical compounds.
A bath, such as of mercury or tin, employed for chemical processes
requiring high temperatures.
A drift or heading driven in barren and hard rock. Nelson
A name for isometric leucite that is stable above 625 degrees C.
CF:pseudoleucite
A metamorphosed carbonate rock not suitable for use as polished dimension
stone (Brooks, 1954). CF:metamarble; ortholimestone.
A metallurgist. Standard, 2; Fay
The breaking of rocks, etc., using slurried explosive medium containing a
powdered metal, such as powdered aluminum.
a. A term used to describe metal particles, such as gold in ores.
Newton, 1
b. (adj.) The adj. indicates that the noun it modifies possesses metallic
properties. These properties often include a metallike luster, conduction
of electricity, tensile strength, opacity, and malleability, although some
metallic materials may possess only a few such characteristics.
c. When used with "mineral" in the context of resources, e.g., metallic
mineral, it has a different and special meaning; it refers to the product,
not the mineralogy. Thus chalcopyrite, CuFeS2 , is metallic (in the
sense above), and the copper and iron it contains are metallic minerals in
the resource sense. A single mineral, such as chalcopyrite, may also be
the source of a nonmetal, sulfur. Adding to the confusion, rutile (TiO
2 ) is the source of both titanium, which is used as metallic
titanium, and titanium oxide, which is used as a nonmetallic mineral
pigment. Because many industrial minerals (in a resource sense) tend to be
nonmetallic (in either the mineralogical or the resource sense), the terms
"industrial minerals" and "nonmetallic minerals" are sometimes carelessly
used interchangeably. CF:mineral; nonmetallic mineral;
industrial minerals. Syn:metalliferous
Element that is generally distinguishable from nonmetallic elements by its
luster, malleability, and electrical conductivity, and its usual ability
to form positive ions. Henderson
Metal iron, as distinguished from iron ore.
The ordinary luster of metals. When feebly displayed, it is termed
submetallic. Gold, iron pyrites, and galena have a metallic luster, e.g.,
while chromite and cuprite have a submetallic luster. Nelson
Minerals with a high specific gravity and metallic luster, such as
titanium, rutile, tungsten, uranium, tin, lead, iron, etc. In general, the
metallic minerals are good conductors of heat and electricity.
See also:nonmetallic minerals
From a strictly scientific point of view, the terms metallic ore and ore
deposits have no clear significance. These are purely conventional
expressions, used to describe those metalliferous minerals or bodies of
mineral having economic value, from which useful metals can be
advantageously extracted. In one sense, rock salt is an ore of sodium, and
limestone an ore of calcium, but to term beds of those substances ore
deposits would be quite outside of current usage. Ricketts
Metal-bearing; specif., pertaining to a mineral deposit from which a metal
or metals can be extracted by metallurgical processes.
See also:metallic
Marine deposit of mud formed under anoxic conditions and containing
anomalously high quantities of zinc, silver, and copper, and lesser
amounts of lead and gold. The term has most often been applied to deposits
of muds in the Red Sea which have been formed by submarine precipitation
of metallic sulfides from hydrothermal vents. These vents occur along the
axis of a spreading center which forms the Red Sea Basin.
Cruickshank
To convert into metal. Fay
A word used to embrace all ores or metalliferous material.
The process or processes by which metals are introduced into a rock,
resulting in an economically valuable deposit; the mineralization of
metals. AGI
The time interval favorable for the genesis or deposition of certain
useful metals or minerals. Syn:minerogenetic epoch