- clay mineral
- noun Date: 1937 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
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
clay mineral
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clay mineral — n. any of a group of minerals, mainly hydrous aluminum silicates, occurring in very tiny crystals that readily adsorb water … English World dictionary
clay mineral — any of a group of hydrous aluminum silicate minerals, as kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite, that constitute the major portion of most clays. [1945 50] * * * Any of a group of important hydrous aluminum silicates with a layered structure and… … Universalium
clay mineral — clay′ min eral n. mir any of a group of hydrous aluminum silicate minerals, as kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite, that constitute the major portion of most clays • Etymology: 1945–50 … From formal English to slang
clay mineral — One of a complex and loosely defined group of finely crystalline, metacolloidal, or amorphous hydrous silicates, essentially of aluminum … Lexicon of Cave and Karst Terminology
clay mineral — noun : one of a group of hydrous silicates of aluminum and sometimes other metals (as magnesium and iron) formed chiefly in weathering processes, found in clays, soils, shales and other rocks, and characterized by small particle size and ability… … Useful english dictionary
Clay — For other uses, see Clay (disambiguation). The Gay Head cliffs in Martha s Vineyard consist almost entirely of clay. Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic… … Wikipedia
Clay minerals — Oxford Clay (Jurassic) exposed near Weymouth, England. Clay minerals are hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, sometimes with variable amounts of iron, magnesium, alkali metals, alkaline earths, and other cations. Clays have structures similar to… … Wikipedia
clay — clay1 claylike, adj. /klay/, n. 1. a natural earthy material that is plastic when wet, consisting essentially of hydrated silicates of aluminum: used for making bricks, pottery, etc. 2. earth; mud. 3. earth, esp. regarded as the material from… … Universalium
Clay — /klay/, n. 1. Bertha M. (Charlotte Monica Braeme), 1836 84, English author: originator of a long series of romantic novels. 2. Cassius Marcellus, 1810 1903, U.S. antislavery leader and diplomat. 3. Cassius Marcellus, Jr., original name of… … Universalium
mineral — /min euhr euhl, min reuhl/, n. 1. any of a class of substances occurring in nature, usually comprising inorganic substances, as quartz or feldspar, of definite chemical composition and usually of definite crystal structure, but sometimes also… … Universalium
