glauconite

American  

[glaw-kuh-nahyt] / ˈglɔ kəˌnaɪt /

noun

1. a greenish micaceous mineral consisting essentially of a hydrous silicate of potassium, aluminum, and iron and occurring in greensand, clays, etc.

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glauconite British  

/ ˈɡlɔːkəˌnaɪt, ˌɡlɔːkəˈnɪtɪk /

noun

1. a green mineral consisting of the hydrated silicate of iron, potassium, aluminium, and magnesium: found in greensand and other similar rocks. Formula: (K,Na,Ca) 0.5-1 (Fe,Al,Mg) 2 (Si,Al) 4 O 10 (OH) 2 .nH 2 O

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Other Word Forms

• glauconitic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of glauconite

1830–40; < Greek glaukón, neuter of glaukós ( see glauco-) + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

glauconite

Less than a half-hour from Philadelphia, the Edelman, which opened March 29, takes full advantage of its site, once a sea teeming with marine creatures and, more recently, a glauconite quarry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 2, 2025

This consists of alternations of chalk with bands of Marl, and contains glauconite and also phosphatic nodules in the lower part.

From The Geological Story of the Isle of Wight by Hughes, J. Cecil

They may be seen occupying these shells, and when the shell is dissolved away perfect casts of glauconite are set free.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 1 "Gichtel, Johann" to "Glory" by Various

The term was introduced by the early English geologists for certain sandy rocks which frequently exhibited a greenish colour on account of the presence of minute grains of the green mineral glauconite.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 5 "Greek Law" to "Ground-Squirrel" by Various

It is named from the abundance of grains of green colouring matter, now recognised as glauconite; so that it would be better called Glauconitic Marl.

From The Geological Story of the Isle of Wight by Hughes, J. Cecil