spodumene

Thân thiện

A geologist holds a sample of spodumene in a field study.

Definition

Noun: 1. A mineral: A pyroxene mineral with the chemical composition LiAlSi₂O₆ (lithium aluminum silicate). It is an important commercial source of the element lithium. 2. A source of lithium: Refers to the mineral's primary economic use as an ore for extracting lithium, a metal used in batteries, ceramics, and glass.

Usage Examples

• As a mineral:
  • The geologist identified the large, prismatic crystals in the pegmatite as spodumene.
  • Transparent varieties of spodumene, like kunzite (pink) and hiddenite (green), are valued as gemstones.
• As a lithium source:
  • The new electric vehicle battery factory will require a steady supply of spodumene for lithium production.
  • Most lithium is mined from either brine deposits or spodumene-bearing hard rock.

Advanced Usage

• Industrial Context: In mining and materials science, "spodumene" specifically denotes the α-spodumene (natural) and β-spodumene (heated) forms, which have different properties for lithium extraction.
  • The ore must be converted from alpha to beta spodumene through calcination to make the lithium acid-soluble.

Variants and Related Words

• Kunzite (n): A pink to violet gem-quality variety of spodumene.
• Hiddenite (n): A green gem-quality variety of spodumene.
• Triphane (n): A historical name for colorless or yellow spodumene.
• Pyroxene (n): The group of silicate minerals to which spodumene belongs.

Synonyms

• Lithium aluminum silicate (n): The chemical name for the mineral.
• Lithium ore (n): A functional synonym highlighting its economic role (though other minerals can also be lithium ores).

Related Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs or Idioms)

• Pegmatite (n): The type of coarse-grained igneous rock where spodumene crystals are commonly found.
• Lithium extraction (n): The industrial process for which spodumene is a primary feedstock.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminum silicate; a source of lithium