Kieserites

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A naturally occurring mineral consisting of hydrated magnesium sulfate, commonly used in fertilizers and various industrial applications
2. Referring to a specific form of hydrated sulfate mineral that is typically found in evaporite deposits and valued for its agricultural properties
3. Describing a mineral that serves as a source of magnesium and sulfur, often occurring as white or colorless crystalline masses in geological formations

Etymology: Kieserite is named for Dietrich Georg von Kieser (1779-1862), a German physician and naturalist who was a leading figure in the study of salts and the geology of the German salt deposits. The mineral was named in 1860, so the name honours a man who was still alive when it was first given. Its "-ite" ending is the ordinary mineralogical suffix used for rocks, minerals and salts, which is why so many mineral names end this way. The plural "kieserites" is simply the form used when speaking of more than one specimen or of several varieties of the mineral. It takes its origin from the same personal name and suffix as the singular.

Synonyms: magnesium sulfate minerals