A mineral composed of potassium aluminum sulfate hydroxide, often used as a source of alum and sometimes as a gemstone.
From Latin 'alumen' (alum) with the mineral suffix '-ite'; named for its composition of alum-bearing material discovered in various geological formations.
Alunite is one of geology's most useful rocks—ancient civilizations found it, ground it up, and suddenly had a chemical that could preserve cloth and leather for centuries, making it worth more than gold to traders.
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