Bornites

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A copper iron sulfide mineral that occurs in various forms, often used as an ore for copper extraction
2. It is typically recognized for its brass-yellow coloration and metallic luster
3. This mineral can also exhibit iridescent qualities and is often found in hydrothermal deposits

Etymology: Bornite is named after Ignaz von Born, an Austrian mineralogist who studied the ores of Central Europe in the late 1700s. The mineral's name builds on his surname with the standard mineral ending "-ite", a suffix used for minerals and rock types since the eighteenth century, so the word is a deliberate tribute rather than a description of the stone's appearance. Bornite is the mineral's name, and "bornites" is simply its plural, used when speaking of several specimens or several varieties of the mineral. Because the ore is often bright with iridescent purple and bronze tones when freshly broken, it is sometimes called "peacock ore" by miners and collectors, a nickname that owes nothing to Born.

Synonyms: bornite, peacock ore