heavy spar
- noun
- Specialized
:
barita
- Large deposits of heavy spar are often mined for their barium content.
Examples
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The geologist identified the white crystals as heavy spar during the field survey.
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A sample of heavy spar was sent to the laboratory for analysis.
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The heavy spar was analyzed for purity.
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Many industries rely on heavy spar for various applications.
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Large deposits of heavy spar are often mined for their barium content.
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A sample of heavy spar was sent to the laboratory for analysis.
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The geologist identified the white crystals as heavy spar during the field survey.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A heavy white or colorless mineral used as the main source of the metal barium
A white powder used in paint, in industry, and to help X-rays show the inside of the body
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound literally combines 'heavy' (of large weight) with 'spar' (a cleavable mineral), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it denotes a heavy type of mineral. However, the precise identification as barite (BaSO4) and its chemical properties are specialized, lexicalized knowledge not predictable from the parts alone, so the transparency is partial.
Etymology
The name heavy spar paints a simple picture: spar was an old word for a shiny mineral, and this kind of spar is very heavy because it contains the metal 'barium', so people called it heavy spar. That's why the term now refers to the white, heavy mineral 'barite' that is a main source of 'barium'.