sphene

[prettygoodword]

sphene (SFEEN) - n., a mineral, a calcium titanium nesosilicate (CaTiSiO₅) with brown, yellow, or green crystals and sometimes used as a gemstone, also called titanite.


Or rather, the International Mineralogical Association has deprecated the name sphene in favor of titanite, but sphene is often still used especially for the gemstone. Coined in 1801 in French as sphène by mineralogist René Just Haüy, from Ancient Greek sphḗn, wedge, because its crystals are often wedge-shaped.


Thanks, WikiMedia!

---L.

Comments

[sillylilly_bird]

Oooh, I love sphene - I have several cabs and made a lovely jewelry set - ring, earrings, pendant. That geologist also discovered a striking blue mineral that was named after him. Sadly, it's mostly found as tiny crystals. I have some earrings, but the largest is 2mm.

[prettygoodword]

Nice.

[feast_of_regrets]

Sphene is a way better word than titanite. What a gorgeous rock.

[prettygoodword]

Innit? I like it.

[dhampyresa]

It looks like kryptonite!

[prettygoodword]

Heh. The brown versions, not so much, but this? Yup.