Table of Contents
How are minerals named?
Minerals are commonly named based on the following: Named for the chemical composition or some other physical property (e.g. halotrichite, batisite, rhodonite). Named for reasons that have been lost to antiquity (e.g., ice, quartz) or from long usage (e.g., cinnabar).
What does the suffix mean in geology?
The word geology comes from the greek word geo meaning earth and the greek suffix logy meaning the study of. …
What does Tite mean in minerals?
Definition of tactite : a contact-metamorphosed carbonate rock (as limestone) containing crystalline silicate minerals (as garnet, diopside, or vesuvianite)
What does the ITE suffix mean?
1. a suffix of nouns denoting especially persons associated with a place, tribe, leader, doctrine, system, etc.
Is Opal a mineral?
An opal is a ‘gemstone’ – that is, a mineral valued for its beauty. Gemstones are most often used in jewellery and examples include diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, jade, opals and amethysts.
Is Ruby a mineral?
Ruby is the red gem variety of the mineral corundum.
Why do rocks end with ITE?
It is common practice to add an “ite” to a mineral name. The suffix “ite” is derived from the Greek word lithos (from its adjectival form -ites), meaning rock or stone. In fact this way of naming stones is still common today, with the addition of naming the rock and mineral for a person.
What does ite ending mean?
Why do gemstone names always end in ‘ITE’?
Thus, it is a convention in the world of gems that all new minerals must be given names which end with an ‘ite’ suffix. However, when it comes to gemstone names (not minerals), they do not always end in ‘ite’. But all official gemstone trade names must still be approved by regulation, just as minerals do.
Why is it called an “ITE” mineral?
The reason is in its etymology. I got this from a mineralogy site: The suffix “ite” is derived from the Greek word lithos (from its adjectival form -ites), meaning rock or stone.
What is the etymology of the suffix in Mineral Names?
Meaning and etymology of the “ite” and “ine/ene” endings of mineral names. Though the derivation of -ite from Greek λίθος lithos (“stone”) is often asserted, it seems to be derived from the Greek suffix -ίτης -ites via Latin and French. This is the pattern in derivation of non-mineralogical terms.
What is the origin of the suffix -ite?
The suffix ‘ite’, is derived from the Greek word, ‘lithos’, which means ‘rock’ or ‘stone’ (the adjectival form of ‘litho’s is ‘-ites’). The International Mineralogical Association’s Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification publishes strict guidelines for the naming of new minerals, as well as the renaming of existing ones.