Forsterite

/ˈfɔrstəraɪt/ noun

Definition

A pale-green mineral composed of magnesium silicate; the magnesium-rich variety of olivine found in igneous rocks.

Etymology

Named after the 19th-century mineralogist Johann Reinhard Forster. The suffix '-ite' indicates a mineral, following the standard naming convention established by mineralogy.

Kelly Says

Forsterite is so abundant in Earth's mantle that it's technically our planet's most common mineral—we're literally standing on a planet made mostly of a rock type most people never heard of!

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