monazite

[mon-uh-zahyt]

noun

1. a reddish- or yellowish-brown mineral, a phosphate of cerium and lanthanum, (Ce,La)PO 4 : the principal ore of thorium.

monazite

/ ˈmɒnəˌzaɪt /

noun

1. a yellow to reddish-brown mineral consisting of a phosphate of thorium, cerium, and lanthanum in monoclinic crystalline form

monazite

1. A yellow or reddish-brown monoclinic mineral that is a principal ore of several lanthanide (rare-earth) elements. It occurs as tabular crystals in pegmatites, granites, and metamorphic rocks, as well as in sand. Chemical formula: (Ce, La, Nd, Th)PO ₄ .

Word History and Origins

Origin of monazite¹

First recorded in 1830–40; from German Monazit, equivalent to monaz- (from Greek monázein “to be alone, live alone”) + -it noun suffix; mon-, -ite ¹ (so called from its rarity)

Word History and Origins

Origin of monazite¹

C19: from German, from Greek monazein to live alone, so called because of its rarity

Example Sentences

The researchers determined the crater’s age by examining tiny crystals of the minerals monazite and zircon formed in the asteroid impact.

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The scientists were able to determine the age of the impact crater, which is not visible to the eye, by testing the minerals zircon and monazite that were "shock recrystallized."

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But the searing temperatures of an impact — thousands of degrees Fahrenheit — cause zircon and monazite to recrystallize, a process that drives out lead.

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At Yarrabubba, we identified tiny crystals of zircon and monazite – each about the width of human hair – with textures that show they had been heated by a massive impact.

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To determine when the asteroid hit Earth, the team examined tiny zircon and monazite crystals in the rocks.

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