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moissanite
Jun. 10th, 2024 07:17 ammoissanite (MOI-suh-nait, MOI-zuh-nait) - n., the mineral form of silicon carbide (SiC) aka carborundum.
As a natural mineral, it is very rare, but in its synthesized form (less common than carborundum powder used as an industrial abrasive) moissanite gemstones are used as a diamond substitute, being less pricy and yet, with a really high hardness (9.25 on the Mohs scale) and index of refraction (higher than diamond, in fact), nearly as sparkly. Named after French chemist Henri Moissan, who was first identified natural silicon carbide crystals in a fragment of the meteor that made Meteor Crater.
Thanks, WikiMedia!
---L.
As a natural mineral, it is very rare, but in its synthesized form (less common than carborundum powder used as an industrial abrasive) moissanite gemstones are used as a diamond substitute, being less pricy and yet, with a really high hardness (9.25 on the Mohs scale) and index of refraction (higher than diamond, in fact), nearly as sparkly. Named after French chemist Henri Moissan, who was first identified natural silicon carbide crystals in a fragment of the meteor that made Meteor Crater.
Thanks, WikiMedia!
---L.
