wulfenite

[woo l-fuh-nahyt]

noun

a lead molybdate mineral, PbMoO4, occurring usually in tabular crystals, and varying in color from grayish to bright-yellow or red; yellow lead ore.

Origin of wulfenite

1840–50; named after F. X. von Wulfen (1728–1805), Austrian scientist; see -ite¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for wulfenite

Historical Examples of wulfenite

Deposits of wulfenite have been worked on a small scale in Arizona.
The Economic Aspect of Geology
C. K. Leith
The chief ore minerals are molybdenite (molybdenum sulphide) and wulfenite (lead molybdate).
The Economic Aspect of Geology
C. K. Leith
Wulfenite is rather common in the upper oxidized zone of deposits which contain lead minerals and molybdenite.
The Economic Aspect of Geology
C. K. Leith

British Dictionary definitions for wulfenite

wulfenite

noun

a yellow, orange, red, or grey lustrous secondary mineral consisting of lead molybdate in the form of platelike tetragonal crystals. It occurs with lead ores and is a source of molybdenum. Formula: PbMoO 4

Word Origin for wulfenite

C19: from German Wulfenit, named after F. X. von Wulfen (1728–1805), Austrian mineralogist

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