Definition

Noun: A yellow mineral consisting of nickel sulfide (NiS), occurring as slender, metallic, brass-yellow crystals. It is a minor source of nickel.

Usage

The word "millerite" is used specifically in geology and mineralogy to refer to this distinct mineral species. It is typically used as a countable noun.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The geologist identified the slender, yellow crystals as millerite.
  • Millerite is often found in association with other nickel-bearing minerals.
  • This specimen contains a significant vein of millerite.

Advanced Usage

• As a type specimen: Millerite is a well-known mineral among collectors due to its distinctive acicular (needle-like) crystal habit.
  • The museum's collection features an exceptional millerite specimen from Germany.

Variants and Related Words

• Milleritic (adj): Pertaining to or containing millerite.
  • The ore had a milleritic component.

Synonyms

• Nickel sulfide (when referring specifically to the NiS compound in a mineralogical context).

Notes on Meaning

The term refers exclusively to the mineral form of nickel sulfide. It is named after the British mineralogist William Hallowes Miller. While it is a source of nickel, it is not a major commercial ore.

Noun

1. a yellow mineral consisting of nickel sulfide; a minor source of nickel