spodumene

noun

spod·​u·​mene ˈspä-jə-ˌmēn How to pronounce spodumene (audio)
: a white to yellowish, purplish, or emerald-green monoclinic mineral that is a silicate of lithium and aluminum and occurs in prismatic crystals often of great size

Examples of spodumene in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Lithium is extracted from spodumene found in the granite rock called pegmatite. Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2024 Australia leads the world in lithium production, mining most of it from the mineral spodumene. Aaron Gettinger, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2023 Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection has rejected the Freemans’ request to consider the land a quarry, and is instead classifying spodumene as a metallic mineral. Time, 17 July 2023 Geologists say there’s also likely a lot more lithium in spodumene deposits across New England. Time, 17 July 2023 But geologists know it as spodumene, lithium-bearing ore. Gerry Shih, Washington Post, 24 May 2023 The plant turns the ore from a nearby quarry into spodumene, a greenish crystalline powder that is about 6 percent lithium and sells for about $5,700 a ton. Natasha Frost Matthew Abbott, New York Times, 23 May 2023 Representative Margaret O’Neil, another Democrat from the coastal city of Saco, has proposed a moratorium on spodumene mining in Maine. David Abel, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Apr. 2023 Stone properties are major points of conversation in these halls (malachite is a 3 or 4 on the Moh’s Hardness scale, diamonds a 10), where visitors are surrounded by so many natural wonders—like a 3000-pound block of labradorite or two towering amethyst geodes or all those spodumene crystals. Stellene Volandes, Town & Country, 8 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spodumene.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

probably from French spodumène, from German Spodumen, from Greek spodoumenos, present participle of spodousthai to be burnt to ashes, from spodos ashes

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spodumene was in 1893

Dictionary Entries Near spodumene

Cite this Entry

“Spodumene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spodumene. Accessed 6 May. 2024.

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