bastnaesite

American

[bast-nuh-sahyt] / ˈbæst nəˌsaɪt /

Or bastnäsite

noun

a rare-earth mineral, fluorocarbonate of lanthanum and cerium, with a waxy-yellow to reddish-brown color, commonly associated with zinc ores.

bastnaesite British

/ ˈbæstnəˌsaɪt /

noun

a rare yellow to reddish-brown mineral consisting of a carbonate of fluorine and several lanthanide metals. It occurs in association with zinc and is a source of the lanthanides. Formula: LaFCO 3

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bastnaesite

Named after Bastnäs, mine in Sweden; see -ite ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

MP mines bastnaesite, with a grade of about 8.5%.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

Maoniuping is a bastnaesite mine with a 3% grade.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

Still, rare earths at Dong Pao are relatively easy to access and are mostly concentrated in bastnaesite ores, according to the Hanoi University of Mining and Geology.

From Reuters • Sep. 25, 2023

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023