nepheline

Thân thiện

A geologist examines a sample of nepheline in the laboratory.

Definition

Noun: * A white, gray, or colorless mineral that is a silicate of sodium, potassium, and aluminum (Na,K)AlSiO₄. It is a feldspathoid mineral found in igneous rocks that are deficient in silica, such as nepheline syenite. It is used in the manufacture of glass and ceramics.

Usage

Nepheline is a technical term used primarily in the fields of geology, mineralogy, and industrial materials science. It names a specific mineral and is used as a count noun (e.g., a nepheline, crystals of nepheline).

Examples

• The igneous rock sample contained abundant nepheline and feldspar.
• Nepheline is an important raw material for some types of glass.
• Under the microscope, the nepheline crystals showed their characteristic hexagonal shape.

Advanced Usage

• Nepheline syenite: A common rock type named for its high nepheline content, which is mined for use as a flux in ceramics and as a filler in paints and plastics.
  • The quarry extracts nepheline syenite for the local ceramics industry.

Variants and Related Words

• Nephelinite (noun): A fine-grained, dark volcanic rock composed essentially of nepheline and pyroxene.
• Feldspathoid (noun): The family of minerals to which nepheline belongs, all of which are silica-poor compared to feldspar.

Synonyms

• Nephelite (noun): An older, synonymous name for nepheline, now less commonly used.

Notes on Meaning

The definition of nepheline is highly specific to mineralogy. It does not have idiomatic meanings or phrasal verbs. Its primary meaning is the mineral itself, and its secondary meaning relates to its industrial application.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a whitish mineral consisting of sodium aluminum silicate or potassium aluminum silicate in crystalline form; used in the manufacture of ceramics and enamels

Từ đồng nghĩa

• nephelite