Greenland spar
- noun
- Specialized
:
espar de Groenlandia
- Miners once sought Greenland spar for its value as a source of fluorine.
Examples
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A rare specimen of Greenland spar is displayed in the museum's mineralogy section.
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The Greenland spar is essential for producing fluorine.
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The aluminum was extracted from the Greenland spar in carefully controlled laboratory conditions.
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Many industries rely on Greenland spar for their processes.
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A rare specimen of Greenland spar is displayed in the museum's mineralogy section.
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Miners once sought Greenland spar for its value as a source of fluorine.
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The aluminum was extracted from the Greenland spar in carefully controlled laboratory conditions.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A rare white mineral used to get fluorine and help make aluminum
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward place-name + noun construction: 'Greenland' specifies origin and 'spar' names a type of mineral, so a learner who knows both words will infer it refers to a mineral from Greenland (likely transparent/white). While they may not deduce precise chemical composition or industrial use, the basic referent is transparently built from the constituents and follows common English naming patterns.
Etymology
The mineral Greenland spar was named after large, clear crystals found in Greenland, and the word spar used to mean a shiny, clear rock. People used this white, glassy mineral to get fluorine and to help make aluminium, so the name now points to that mineral as a 'source of fluorine'.