kaolinite

[ key-uh-luh-nahyt ]

noun
  1. a very common mineral, hydrated aluminum disilicate, Al2Si2O5(OH)4, formed by the alteration of other minerals, especially feldspar: the most common constituent of kaolin.

Origin of kaolinite

1
First recorded in 1865–70; kaolin + -ite1

Words Nearby kaolinite

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British Dictionary definitions for kaolinite

kaolinite

/ (ˈkeɪəlɪˌnaɪt) /


noun
  1. a white or grey clay mineral consisting of hydrated aluminium silicate in triclinic crystalline form, the main constituent of kaolin. Formula: Al 2 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4

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

Scientific definitions for kaolinite

kaolinite

[ ə-lĭ-nīt′ ]


  1. A soft, white triclinic mineral occurring in friable masses. Kaolinite forms as the result of the hydrothermal alteration or weathering of feldspar. It is used in the ceramic industry. Chemical formula : Al2Si2O5(OH)4.

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