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magnesite

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mag⋅ne⋅site

[mag-nuh-sahyt]
–noun
a mineral, magnesium carbonate, MgCO3, having a characteristic conchoidal fracture and usually occurring in white masses.

Origin:
1805–15; magnes(ia) + -ite 1 ; cf. F magnésite
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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mag·ne·site   (māg'nə-sīt')   
n.  A white, yellowish, or brown mineral, magnesium carbonate, MgCO3, used in the manufacture of magnesium oxide and carbon dioxide.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

magnesite

the mineral magnesium carbonate (MgCO3), a member of the calcite group of carbonate minerals that is a principal source of magnesium. The mineral has formed as an alteration product from magnesium-rich rocks or through the action of magnesium-containing solutions upon calcite. Notable deposits are those at Radenthein, Austria; the Liaotung Peninsula, Liaoning Province, China; and Clark County, Nev., U.S. Iron is usually present, and a complete chemical substitution series exists between magnesite and siderite in which iron replaces magnesium. Magnesite is used as a refractory material, a catalyst and filler in the production of synthetic rubber, and a material in the preparation of magnesium chemicals and fertilizers. For detailed physical properties, see carbonate mineral (table)

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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