Definition

A mineral that can be light to dark brown in color, consisting of zinc and iron sulfide, and is a form of another mineral called sphalerite. It is used as a minor source of zinc.

Example

Wurtzite is often found in areas where zinc is mined.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of the mineral wurtzite?

No, I haven't! What is it used for?

It's actually a minor ore of zinc, which is pretty interesting.

That sounds cool! I love learning about different minerals.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

The word 'wurtzite' comes from the name of the German mineralogist, Karl Wurtz, who was associated with the discovery of the mineral. The suffix '-ite' is derived from the Greek 'itis' (meaning of or pertaining to), commonly used in mineralogy to denote minerals. Therefore, 'wurtzite' refers to a mineral associated with Wurtz.

Memory Tip

Think of 'Wurtz' as the name of the person who discovered this mineral, and '-ite' indicates that it is a mineral. This helps you remember that 'wurtzite' is a mineral named after Karl Wurtz.

Visually Confused Words