Tennantite

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A mineral consisting of copper, iron, and arsenic sulfides often found in hydrothermal veins ; a complex sulfide ore commonly associated with other copper and iron minerals ; a naturally occurring mineral used as an indicator of copper deposits in geological exploration
2. A copper-iron arsenic sulfide mineral appearing as dark crystals in mineral veins ; an ore mineral frequently occurring with similar sulfides in underground deposits ; a naturally formed mineral exploited for its copper content and studied in mineralogy
3. A mineral species composed primarily of copper, iron, and arsenic combined with sulfur ; a gemstone-quality or ore mineral found in hydrothermal environments ; a naturally developing crystalline mineral important in mining for copper ores

Etymology: Tennantite was first described in 1817 by the mineralogist James Sowerby, who called it the "gray sulphuret of copper in dodecahedral crystals," a plain descriptive label that named nothing. Two years later, in 1819, William Phillips gave the mineral its permanent name in honour of Smithson Tennant (1761-1815), an English chemist best known for discovering the elements iridium and osmium. The name is a straightforward formation: "Tennant" plus the suffix "-ite," the standard ending for minerals, which likewise appears in names such as "pyrite" and "haematite" family members. The mineral is named after the chemist, not after any place or property of the ore itself, so the name records a scientist's achievements rather than a feature of the rock.

Synonyms: copper arsenic sulfide