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aragonite

aragonite

1 9.9
A white or clear mineral made of calcium carbonate that forms in sea and fresh water
  • noun
  • /əˈræɡəˌnaɪt/
  • Specialized
: aragonito
  • We sampled from the top 200 m of the water column, where aragonite saturation levels were around 1, as upwelled deep water is mixed with surface water containing anthropogenic CO2.
  • aragonite and calcite

Examples

  • Aragonite undersaturation is likely to affect aragonite-shelled organisms, which can dominate surface water communities in polar regions.

    Blog text (14)
  • Nacre mollusks make this special material by placing successive layers of aragonite interspersed with proteins.

  • Samples were treated with 3% ethanoic acid to remove calcite and aragonite from the samples.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Coral waste is a type of porous carbonate material, which consists of aragonite and a small part of calcite.

    Academic text (2018)
  • We must consider the kind of materials constituting the shells of mollusks, protists, e.g., the proportion of organisms with shells built of calcite or aragonite.

    Blog text (9)
  • The seashell's inner layer is made up of aragonite, giving it a smooth and lustrous surface.

  • Samples were treated with 3% ethanoic acid to remove calcite and aragonite from the samples.

  • In a seashell, the aragonite is sandwiched between microscopic layers of soft organics that provide cushioning.

How Hard

diamond
677 1.4
quartz
19 3.7
aragonite
  • Specialized
1 9.9
calcite
  • Specialized
2 6.2
gypsum
  • Specialized
4 6.7
talc
6 4.2

Surface Forms

aragonite singular
aragonites plural

Etymology

The word aragonite is named after the Spanish region Aragon, where this mineral was first found, and the ending -ite marks it as a 'mineral', like in graphite or calcite. So think of aragonite as the 'mineral from Aragon' to remember it is a natural crystal often found in shells and rocks.