Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches

Cerargyrite

 - 2 dictionary results

ce⋅rar⋅gy⋅rite

[suh-rahr-juh-rahyt]
–noun
a very soft mineral, silver chloride, AgCl, used as an ore of silver; horn silver.

Origin:
1865–70; < Gk kér(as) horn (see cerat- ) + árgyr(os) silver + -ite 1 ; cf. F kérargyre
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Cerargyrite
Encyclopedia

cerargyrite

gray, very heavy halide mineral composed of silver chloride (AgCl); it is an ore of silver. It forms a complete solid-solution series with bromyrite, silver bromide (AgBr), in which bromine completely replaces chlorine in the crystal structure. These are secondary minerals that commonly occur as alteration products of native silver, silver sulfides, and sulfosalts in silver deposits that have been oxidized by weathering. They are often found as crusts, coatings, or hornlike masses with native silver, wad, and limonite and are common in Germany, Chile, and the western United States. For detailed physical properties, see halide mineral (table)

Learn more about cerargyrite with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see Cerargyrite on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: