clay mineral

noun

: any of a group of hydrous silicates of aluminum and sometimes other metals formed chiefly in weathering processes and occurring especially in clay and shale

Examples of clay mineral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Feldspar and mica, the main minerals in plutonic rocks like granite and metamorphic rocks like gneiss and schist, react with water and oxygen, decaying to clay minerals. David Bressan, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 The asteroid’s sample largely consists of clay minerals, including serpentine, which makes the sample remarkably similar to rocks found at midocean ridges on Earth. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 27 June 2024 In 2008, scientists found evidence of the clay minerals in the fan-like structure seen in the crater. Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 26 Jan. 2024 In a preliminary analysis of some of the dust, scientists found nearly 5 percent carbon by mass, and the material has abundant water in the form of hydrated clay minerals. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 6 Dec. 2023 The samples from the asteroid contained abundant water in the form of hydrated clay minerals and molecules, which may have led to the formation of lakes, oceans and rivers on Earth and had a high abundance of carbon, which may explain how Earth was seeded with chemicals. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2023 Besides carbon, the asteroid rubble holds water in the form of water-bearing clay minerals, said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. Time, 11 Oct. 2023 The pieces of space rock contain water molecules locked up in clay minerals and are rich in carbon, according to NASA researchers. Denise Chow, NBC News, 11 Oct. 2023 That is a lot of lithium concentrated into these clay minerals. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 20 Sep. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clay mineral was in 1937

Dictionary Entries Near clay mineral

Cite this Entry

“Clay mineral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clay%20mineral. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

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