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mispickel

mispickel

9.9
A silver-white mineral that contains the poisonous metal arsenic and is mined for it
  • noun
  • /ˈmɪspɪkəl/
  • Archaic
: mispickel
  • The geologist identified the shiny sample as mispickel during the mineral survey.

Examples

  • Handling mispickel requires caution because it contains arsenic.

  • Many miners refer to mispickel as arsenopyrite.

  • Large deposits of mispickel can be found in some sulfide ore mining regions.

  • The geologist found a sample of mispickel in the mine.

  • The geologist identified the shiny sample as mispickel during the mineral survey.

  • Handling mispickel requires caution because it contains arsenic.

  • Large deposits of mispickel can be found in some sulfide ore mining regions.

Synonyms

arsenopyrite
vsmispickel
  • Specialized
9.9

A silver-white to steel-grey mineral made of iron, arsenic and sulfur that is a main source of arsenic

is the older or common alternative name for that same mineral

Surface Forms

mispickel singular
mispickels plural

Etymology

Mispickel probably comes from an old miners' name, with the parts mis- and pick reminding us of a miner's 'pick' used to take the shiny rock out of the ground. So mispickel is an arsenic 'ore', a silver-grey mineral miners would 'pick' and that must be handled with care.