siderite

[ sid-uh-rahyt ]

noun

1. Also called chalybite. a common mineral, iron carbonate, FeCO 3 , usually occurring in yellowish to deep-brown cleavable masses: a minor ore of iron.
2. a meteorite consisting almost entirely of metallic minerals.

siderite

/ ˌsaɪdəˈrɪtɪk; ˈsaɪdəˌraɪt /

noun

1. Also calledchalybite a pale yellow to brownish-black mineral consisting chiefly of iron carbonate in hexagonal crystalline form. It occurs mainly in ore veins and sedimentary rocks and is an important source of iron. Formula: FeCO 3
2. a meteorite consisting principally of metallic iron

Derived Forms

• sideritic, adjective

Other Words From

• sid·er·it·ic [sid-, uh, -, rit, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of siderite¹

1570–80, in sense “loadstone”; 1845–50 siderite fordef 1; sider- + -ite ¹; in obsolete sense, variant of siderites < Latin sidērītēs < Greek sidērī́tēs loadstone

Example Sentences

As the crab decayed, surrounded by mud and not much oxygen, that siderite coated the crab’s body, allowing it and its fragile brain structure to be preserved.

From Science News

Only several environments capable of producing siderite concretions in the rock record have been identified so far, but the sites could be practical targets for future fossil searches.

From Science News

This siderite is specially interesting on account of its distinctly metallic character.

From Project Gutenberg

This is one of the ordinary stony meteorites, and is thus contrasted with the Rowton siderite which we have just been considering.

From Project Gutenberg

Carbonate of Iron, or siderite, occurs in a few localities, the ore produced in Ohio being almost wholly of this kind.

From Project Gutenberg

When the network of metal is more or less disconnected the meteorite is a meso-siderite.

From Project Gutenberg

Chalybite, kal′i-bīt, n. native iron protocarbonate—siderite.

From Project Gutenberg