chabazite

9.9

A mineral with small holes in its crystals that forms in volcanic rock

noun
/ˈʧæbəˌzaɪt/

Specialized

: cabazita

The geologist discovered a vein rich in chabazite while examining the volcanic rocks.

Examples

Chabazite crystals can form attractive geometric shapes, making them popular among mineral collectors.
Samples containing chabazite are often studied for their ion-exchange properties in environmental research.
The chabazite specimen was found in a volcanic rock formation.
Many chabazites are used in industrial applications.
The geologist discovered a vein rich in chabazite while examining the volcanic rocks.
Samples containing chabazite are often studied for their ion-exchange properties in environmental research.
Chabazite crystals can form attractive geometric shapes, making them popular among mineral collectors.

Synonyms

chabasite

vschabazite

Specialized

9.9

A white or colorless mineral that forms angled four-sided crystals and has many tiny holes

is focused on occurrence and is commonly found in volcanic rocks

Surface Forms

chabazite singular

chabazites plural

Morphology

chabazite = chabaz (semi-transparent) = chabaz + ite

The suffix '-ite' productively signals a mineral name (learners can infer it's a mineral), but the base 'chabaz' is not a recognizable English lexical item, so the specific meaning of the base is not derivable.

Etymology

The word chabazite comes from an old French mineral name chabasie, used by early miners to describe this rock. It is a member of the zeolite group (think zeo- 'to boil' and -lite 'stone'), so chabazite is a volcanic 'stone' with small crystal cages that hold water and ions, which explains its special value to collectors and scientists.