millerite
/ˈmɪlərʌɪt
/noun [mass noun]
A mineral consisting of nickel sulphide and typically occurring as slender needle-shaped bronze crystals.The day before the Main Show opened, the phone call came that the crystals were indeed millerite!...
- Associated minerals in the high-grade veins are calcite, ‘smaltite,’ nicoline, bismuth, and lesser pyrargyrite, proustite, acanthite, millerite, and chalcopyrite.
- The sphalerite is dense enough on some specimens to be considered a crust, whereas on others there is just the right ratio of sphalerite to millerite to create truly beautiful specimens.
Origin
Mid 19th century: named after William H. Miller (1801–80), English scientist, + -ite1.