gibbs·ite

[gib-zahyt]
noun
a mineral, hydrated aluminum oxide, Al 2 O 3 ·3H 2 O, occurring in whitish or grayish crystals and masses: an important constituent of bauxite ore.
Also called hydrargillite.


Origin:
1815–25; named after George Gibbs (died 1833), American mineralogist; see -ite1

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To gibbsite
Collins
World English Dictionary
gibbsite (ˈɡɪbzaɪt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
a mineral consisting of hydrated aluminium oxide: a constituent of bauxite and a source of alumina. Formula: Al(OH)3
 
[C19: named after George Gibbs (died 1833), American mineralogist]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Gibbsite is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

gibbsite

the mineral aluminum hydroxide [Al(OH)3] an important constituent of bauxite (q.v.) deposits, particularly those in the Western Hemisphere, where it occurs as white, glassy crystals, earthy masses, or crusts. In significant deposits it is of secondary origin, but small-scale hydrothermal sources are known. Under extreme weathering conditions, it may develop from any aluminous material, especially feldspars and feldspathoids; it may form from these directly or from boehmite or after the intermediate formation of clay minerals. Gibbsite is prominent in bauxites from Arkansas, Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana, Brazil, West Africa, and India. Synthetic gibbsite is made from bauxite or high-alumina materials for use in the production of aluminum metal and alumina chemicals. For detailed physical properties, see oxide mineral (table)

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

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
The liquor is usually seeded with fine gibbsite seed from previous cycles t o initiate precipitation.
For gibbsite the database is more limited, except for studies conducted in basic solutions.
The liquor is usually seeded with fine gibbsite seed from previous cycles to initiate precipitation.
Related Words
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT