sphene

American  

[sfeen] / sfin /

noun

1. a mineral, calcium titanium silicate, CaTiSiO 5 , occurring as an accessory mineral in a variety of crystalline rocks, usually in small wedge-shaped crystals.

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sphene British  

/ sfiːn /

noun

1. Also called: titanite.  a brown, yellow, green, or grey lustrous mineral consisting of calcium titanium silicate in monoclinic crystalline form. It occurs in metamorphic and acid igneous rocks and is used as a gemstone. Formula: CaTiSiO 5

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sphene Scientific  

/ sfēn /

1. A brown or yellow monoclinic mineral occurring as an accessory mineral in igneous and metamorphic rocks. It usually occurs as wedge or lozenge-shaped crystals. Chemical formula: CaTiSiO ₅.

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Etymology

Origin of sphene

First recorded in 1805–15, sphene is from the Greek word sphḗn wedge

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sphene

All the precious stones, except moonstone, opal and sphene, have at least the hardness of quartz, and can barely be scratched by metals, even by hard steel.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 1082, September 26, 1896 by Various

Most gem-stones are harder than quartz, though precious opal, turquoise, moonstone and sphene are inferior to it in hardness.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 5 "Gassendi, Pierre" to "Geocentric" by Various

Reddish grains of sphene or of garnet are occasionally visible.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 3 "Gordon, Lord George" to "Grasses" by Various

Apatite, iron oxides and zircon are almost invariably present; sphene, garnet and orthite are occasionally observed; calcite, chlorite, muscovite, kaolin, epidote and bastite are secondary.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 5 "Dinard" to "Dodsworth" by Various

The iron oxides, originally ilmenite, are usually altered to sphene.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 6 "English Language" to "Epsom Salts" by Various