Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A brownish-bronze iron sulfide mineral, FeS, characterized by weak magnetic properties and used as an iron ore and in the manufacture of sulfuric acid.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Same as pyrrhotine.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun mineralogy A weakly magnetic ferrous sulfide mineral, FeS.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a brownish iron sulfide mineral (FeS) having weak magnetic properties

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Alteration (influenced by –ite) of German Pyrrhotin, from Greek purrotēs, redness, from purros, fiery, from pūr, fire; see paəwr̥ in Indo-European roots.]

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Examples

  • • A few minerals are magnetic such as pyrrhotite and magnetite.

    Recently Uploaded Slideshows 2009

  • Like PAHs, these minerals -- mainly iron compounds called magnetite and pyrrhotite -- can come from inorganic sources.

    Come In, Mars 2008

  • These mineral crystals were identified as magnetite, pyrrhotite, and greigite.

    The Case for Mars Robert Zubrin 1996

  • In essence, the researchers hold that the combination of magnetite, pyrrhotite, and carbonate could not have formed nonbiologically.

    The Case for Mars Robert Zubrin 1996

  • In essence, the researchers hold that the combination of magnetite, pyrrhotite, and carbonate could not have formed nonbiologically.

    The Case for Mars Robert Zubrin 1996

  • However, inorganic precipitation of magnetite and pyrrhotite require just the opposite conditions: high pH rather than low acidic pH conditions.

    The Case for Mars Robert Zubrin 1996

  • However, inorganic precipitation of magnetite and pyrrhotite require just the opposite conditions: high pH rather than low acidic pH conditions.

    The Case for Mars Robert Zubrin 1996

  • These mineral crystals were identified as magnetite, pyrrhotite, and greigite.

    The Case for Mars Robert Zubrin 1996

  • Marcasite and pyrrhotite, other iron sulphide minerals, are frequently found with pyrite and are used for the same purposes.

    The Economic Aspect of Geology 1915

  • The target for all drilling on the Eastern Extension property is smoky quartz veins mineralized with sulphides pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite ± visible gold.

    Reuters: Press Release 2011

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