samarskite

American  

[suh-mahr-skahyt] / səˈmɑr skaɪt /

noun

1. a velvet-black mineral, a complex columbate-tantalate of uranium, cerium, etc., occurring in masses: a minor source of uranium, thorium, and rare-earth oxides.

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samarskite British  

/ səˈmɑːskaɪt /

noun

1. a velvety black mineral of complex composition occurring in pegmatites: used as a source of uranium and certain rare earth elements

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Etymology

Origin of samarskite

< German Samarskit (1847), after Russian mining engineer V.E. Samarskiĭ- Bykhovets (1803–70); see -ite ¹