andalusite

andalusite
/an'dl ooh"suyt/, n. Mineral.
an orthorhombic form of aluminum silicate, Al2SiO5, found in schistose rocks.
[1830-40; named after ANDALUSIA, where it was first found; see -ITE1]

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 (Al2SiO5), aluminum silicate mineral that occurs in relatively small amounts in various metamorphic rocks, particularly in altered sediments. It is found in commercial quantities in the Inyo Mountains, Mono county, Calif., in the United States; in Kazakhstan; and in South Africa. Such deposits are mined as a raw material for refractories and porcelain used in spark plugs and other products. For detailed physical properties, see silicate mineral (table 2).

      Andalusite of gem quality occurs as greenish or reddish pebbles in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and in Sri Lanka. The variety chiastolite (also called cross-stone, or macle), characteristic of clay slates near a granite contact, forms elongated prismatic crystals enclosing symmetrically arranged wedges of carbonaceous material. In cross section, it shows a black cross on a grayish ground; polished cross sections of the mineral are sometimes worn as charms. It is polymorphous with kyanite and sillimanite.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Andalusite — An da*lu site, n. (Min.) A silicate of aluminium, occurring usually in thick rhombic prisms, nearly square, of a grayish or pale reddish tint. It was first discovered in Andalusia, Spain. [1913 Webster] || …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • andalusite — [an΄də lo͞o′sīt΄] n. [after ANDALUSIA, where it was discovered] a very hard, orthorhombic silicate of aluminum, Al2SiO5, usually found in schist, slate, or other metamorphic rocks and used to make various high temperature materials and as a gem …   English World dictionary

  • Andalusite — Infobox mineral name = Andalusite category = mineral boxwidth = boxbgcolor = imagesize = caption = Dark, rod like andalusite crystals in a light green cordierite schist matrix (writing pen shows size). formula = Al2SiO5Gemological Institute of… …   Wikipedia

  • Andalusite — Andalousite Andalousite Catégorie IX : silicates Andalousite Tyrol Autriche (7,4x6,2cm) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • andalusite — andalūzitas statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Mineralas. formulė Al₂[O|SiO₄] atitikmenys: angl. andalusite rus. андалузит …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • andalusite — noun Etymology: French andalousite, from Andalousie Andalusia, region in Spain Date: circa 1828 a mineral consisting of a silicate of aluminum usually in thick orthorhombic prisms of various colors …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • andalusite — noun An aluminium nesosilicate mineral, AlSiO …   Wiktionary

  • andalusite — an·da·lu·sì·te s.f. TS mineral. silicato di alluminio cristallino, comune in alcune rocce metamorfiche {{line}} {{/line}} DATA: 1817. ETIMO: der. di Andalusia, v. anche andaluso, con 2 ite …   Dizionario italiano

  • andalusite — {{hw}}{{andalusite}}{{/hw}}s. f. (mineral.) Silicato d alluminio, in prismi opachi con inclusioni di carbone, diffuso in alcune rocce metamorfiche …   Enciclopedia di italiano

  • andalusite — pl.f. andalusiti …   Dizionario dei sinonimi e contrari

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