monazite
/ˈmɒnəzʌɪt
/noun [mass noun]
A brown crystalline mineral consisting of a phosphate of cerium, lanthanum, other rare earth elements, and thorium.The unusual age zonation is probably linked to the mineralogical association of monazite and apatite during metamorphic reactions....
- I dutifully explained that the smoky spots were probably the result of natural irradiation caused by many tiny radioactive mineral grains, possibly monazite or xenotime.
- They are found in minerals such as monazite and bastnasite, the main sources of which are in China and the USA.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from German Monazit, from Greek monazein 'live alone' (because of its rare occurrence).