Search the Dictionary

A metallic element of the calcium group, always naturally occurring combined, as in the minerals strontianite, celestite, etc. It is isolated as a yellowish metal, somewhat malleable but harder than calcium. It is chiefly employed (as in the nitrate) to color pyrotechnic flames red. Symbol Sr. Atomic weight 87.3. A rad…

ns, or of constituent particles, in a substance or body; as, the structure of a rock or a mineral; the structure of a sentence. It [basalt] has often a prismatic structure. Dana.

A crystalline mineral found in guano. It is a hydrous phosphate of magnesia and ammonia.

of timber covered with boards to support rubbish; also, a framework of boards to protect miners from falling stones. [Prov. Eng.]

cts; a number of things used or clessed together; a set; as, a suite of rooms; a suite of minerals. See Suit, n., 6. Mr. Barnard took one of the candles that stood upon the king's table, and lighted his majesty through a suite of rooms till they came to a private door into the library. Boswell.

Water breaking in upon the miners at their work; -- so called among tin miners. [Prov. Eng.]

transparent, colorless, acid liquid with a peculiar odor, containing some fatty acids and mineral matter; perspiration. See Perspiration. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. Gen. iii. 19.

A mineral, a telluride of gold and silver, of a steel-gray, silver-white, or brass-yellow color. It often occurs in implanted crystals resembling written characters, and hence is called graphic tellurium. [Written also silvanite.]

thod; to arrange methodically; to methodize; as, to systematize a collection of plants or minerals; to systematize one's work; to systematize one's ideas. Diseases were healed, and buildings erected, before medicine and architecture were systematized into arts. Harris.

A soft mineral of a soapy feel and a greenish, whitish, or grayish color, usually occurring in foliated masses. It is hydrous silicate of magnesia. Steatite, or soapstone, is a compact granular variety. Indurated talc, an impure, slaty talc, with a nearly compact texture, and greater hardness than common talc; -- calle…

A heavy mineral of an iron-black color and submetallic luster. It is essentially a tantalate of iron.

A rare nonmetallic element found in certain minerals, as tantalite, samarskite, and fergusonite, and isolated as a dark powder which becomes steel-gray by burnishing. Symbol Ta. Atomic weight 182.0. Formerly called also tantalium.

e temperature and material employed in obtaining it. Coal tar. See in the Vocabulary. -- Mineral tar (Min.), a kind of soft native bitumen. -- Tar board, a strong quality of millboard made from junk and old tarred rope. Knight. -- Tar water. (a) A cold infusion of tar in water, used as a medicine. (b) The ammoniacal…

r-white metallic luster, but usually combined with metals, as with gold and silver in the mineral sylvanite, with mercury in Coloradoite, etc. Symbol Te. Atomic weight 125.2. Graphic tellurium. (Min.) See Sylvanite. -- Tellurium glance (Min.), nagyagite; -- called also black tellurium.

A blackish lead-gray mineral, closely related to tetrahedrite. It is essentially a sulphide of arsenic and copper.

A rare metallic element, of uncertain identification, supposed to exist in certain minerals, as gadolinite and samarskite, with other rare ytterbium earth. Symbol Tr or Tb. Atomic weight 150.

hich the constituent parts are united; structure; as, the texture of earthy substances or minerals; the texture of a plant or a bone; the texture of paper; a loose or compact texture.

A rare metallic element of the aluminium group found in some minerals, as certain pyrites, and also in the lead-chamber deposit in the manufacture of sulphuric acid. It is isolated as a heavy, soft, bluish white metal, easily oxidized in moist air, but preserved by keeping under water. Symbol Tl. Atomic weight 203.7.…

Anhydrous sodium sulphate, a mineral of a white or brown color and vitreous luster.

A zeolitic mineral, occurring generally in masses of a radiated structure. It is a hydrous silicate of aluminia, lime, and soda. Called also mesole, and comptonite.