SINCE 1828
clay mineral
nounDefinition of clay mineral
: any of a group of hydrous silicates of aluminum and sometimes other metals formed chiefly in weathering processes and occurring especially in clay and shale
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Curiosity took images on September 9, 2015, of Mount Sharp, a hematite-rich ridge, a plain full of clay minerals to create a composite and rounded buttes high in sulfate minerals. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, "Curiosity rover makes new discoveries on Mars," 6 Aug. 2019 Curiosity took images on September 9, 2015, of Mount Sharp, a hematite-rich ridge, a plain full of clay minerals to create a composite and rounded buttes high in sulfate minerals. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, "Curiosity rover detects highest levels of methane on Mars," 24 June 2019 The use of the clay mineral talc is specifically in question, since it's mined from underground deposits that may also contain asbestos, a classified carcinogen. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "So, About the FDA Finding Asbestos in Claire's Makeup: Here's What the Government Is Doing About It," 12 Mar. 2019 Hematite—a mineral form of iron-oxide—clay minerals, and boron are the various components of this clue. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Findings in Crater Good Sign for Habitability on Mars," 14 Dec. 2016 The claims rest on the fact that talc, a clay mineral, is often found in deposits alongside asbestos ore, which definitely is a cancer risk. — David Meyer, Fortune, "Does J&J's Baby Powder Cause Cancer? A Jury Just Said Yes With an Enormous $4.69 Billion Penalty," 13 July 2018 Kaolin, one of Georgia’s largest natural resources, is a clay mineral with industrial applications such as paper coating, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia. — The Root, "Tracing Your Roots: Who Were My Grandparents?," 8 Sep. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'clay mineral.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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