Bolivarite

/bɒlɪˈvɑːraɪt/ noun

Definition

A mineral, a complex silicate compound discovered and named in honor of Simón Bolívar, the South American independence leader.

Etymology

Named after Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), the Venezuelan military and political leader, with the mineralogical suffix '-ite' commonly used in naming newly discovered minerals, following the tradition of honoring important figures.

Kelly Says

Bolivarite is such an obscure mineral that many mineralogy textbooks don't mention it—but its existence shows how minerals discovered in the 19th and 20th centuries were often named to honor national heroes and political figures, making the minerals themselves tiny monuments in the earth.

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