a white or sometimes coloured mineral consisting of a hydrated chloride of potassium and magnesium in orthorhombic crystalline form: a source of potassium and also used as a fertilizer. Formula: KCl.MgCl2.6H2O
Word origin
C19: named after Rudolf von Carnall (1804–74), German mining engineer; see -ite1
carnallite in American English
(ˈkɑrnəlˌaɪt)
noun
a hydrous chloride of magnesium and potassium, MgCl2·KCl·6H2O: a valuable source of potassium
Word origin
after Rudolf von Carnall (1804-74), Ger mineralogist + -ite1