mineralogy

noun min·er·al·o·gy \ ˌmi-nə-ˈrä-lə-jē , -ˈra- \

|Updated on: 28 Jul 2018

Definition of mineralogy

1 : a science dealing with minerals, their crystallography, properties, classification, and the ways of distinguishing them

2 : the mineralogical characteristics of an area, a rock, or a rock formation

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mineralogical

play \ˌmi-nə-rə-ˈlä-ji-kəl, ˌmin-rə-\ or less commonly mineralogic play \-ˈlä-jik\ adjective

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mineralogically

play \-ˈlä-ji-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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mineralogist

play \ˌmi-nə-ˈrä-lə-jist, -ˈra-\ noun

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Recent Examples of mineralogy from the Web

One test found that the dust's mineralogy is consistent with the known composition of lunar soil.

— kristine phillips, ajc, "Neil Armstrong gave her a vial of moon dust, she says. She's suing so NASA won't take it.," 12 June 2018
After teaching mineralogy at Tufts for two years, she was offered a job researching meteorites at Harvard before joining the Smithsonian observatory in 1961.

— richard sandomir, New York Times, "Ursula Marvin, Geologist of the Extraterrestrial, Dies at 96," 9 Mar. 2018
The Mars 2020 team will continue to analyze surface composition data from orbiters such as the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) to ultimately select one of these sites based on mineralogy and the potential for habitability.

— jay bennett, Popular Mechanics, "U.S. and China Both Want to Launch a Mars Sample Return Mission Before 2030," 28 Dec. 2017
In addition to changes in the rock structure and mineralogy of the field, the field may also be subject to variations in water inflow (changes in rainfall).

— chris lee, Ars Technica, "Plugging in to a volcano: Geothermal power and the science that enables it," 11 Oct. 2017
Trends in rhyolite geochemistry, mineralogy, and magma storage during the last 50 kyr at Okataina and Taupo volcanic centres, Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand.

— erik klemetti, WIRED, "The 1886 Eruption of Mt. Tarawera, New Zealand," 10 Feb. 2011

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mineralogy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.