Bahiaite

/bɑːˈiːəaɪt/ noun

Definition

A mineral, a type of hydrated sulfate of calcium and magnesium, named after the location where it was discovered.

Etymology

From Bahia, a state in Brazil where the mineral was first identified, plus the mineralogical suffix -ite (indicating a mineral). This is typical of mineral nomenclature established in the 19th-20th centuries.

Kelly Says

Bahiaite is one of thousands of minerals named after geographic locations—geologists basically created a naming system that turns place names into scientific terms, making a map of where important mineral deposits were found!

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