types:
ballast
any heavy material used to stabilize a ship or airship
rind
the natural outer covering of food (usually removed before eating)
precursor
a substance from which another substance is formed (especially by a metabolic reaction)
ammunition
any nuclear or chemical or biological material that can be used as a weapon of mass destruction
floc,
floccule
a small loosely aggregated mass of flocculent material suspended in or precipitated from a liquid
HAZMAT
an abbreviation for `hazardous material' used on warning signs
aggregate
material such as sand or gravel used with cement and water to make concrete, mortar, or plaster
sorbate
a material that has been or is capable of being taken up by another substance by either absorption or adsorption
sorbent,
sorbent material
a material that sorbs another substance; i.e. that has the capacity or tendency to take it up by either absorption or adsorption
diamagnet
a substance that exhibits diamagnetism
mineral
solid homogeneous inorganic substances occurring in nature having a definite chemical composition
rock,
stone
material consisting of the aggregate of minerals like those making up the Earth's crust
sealing material
any substance used to seal joints or fill cracks in a porous surface
fluff
any light downy material
bimetal
material made by bonding together sheets of two different metals
composite material
strong lightweight material developed in the laboratory; fibers of more than one kind are bonded together chemically
conductor
a substance that readily conducts e.g. electricity and heat
particulate,
particulate matter
a small discrete mass of solid or liquid matter that remains individually dispersed in gas or liquid emissions (usually considered to be an atmospheric pollutant)
dust
free microscopic particles of solid material
elastomer
any of various elastic materials that resemble rubber (resumes its original shape when a deforming force is removed)
earth,
ground
the loose soft material that makes up a large part of the land surface
detritus
loose material (stone fragments and silt etc) that is worn away from rocks
fiber,
fibre
a slender and greatly elongated substance capable of being spun into yarn
fill,
filling
any material that fills a space or container
foam
a lightweight material in cellular form; made by introducing gas bubbles during manufacture
homogenate
material that has been homogenized (especially tissue that has been ground and mixed)
humate
material that is high in humic acids
paper
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
toner
a black or colored powder used in a printer to develop a xerographic image
undercut
the material removed by a cut made underneath
wad
a small mass of soft material
feather,
plumage,
plume
the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds
beard,
byssus
tuft of strong filaments by which e.g. a mussel makes itself fast to a fixed surface
bristle
a stiff fiber (coarse hair or filament); natural or synthetic
bushing
an insulating liner in an opening through which conductors pass
card
one of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes
confetti
small pieces or streamers of colored paper that are thrown around on festive occasions (as at a wedding)
explosive
a chemical substance that undergoes a rapid chemical change (with the production of gas) on being heated or struck
paint,
pigment
a substance used as a coating to protect or decorate a surface (especially a mixture of pigment suspended in a liquid); dries to form a hard coating
spindle
(biology) tiny fibers that are seen in cell division; the fibers radiate from two poles and meet at the equator in the middle
peel,
skin
the rind of a fruit or vegetable
grain
a relatively small granular particle of a substance
grinding
material resulting from the process of grinding
moraine
accumulated earth and stones deposited by a glacier
bassine
coarse leaf fiber from palmyra palms used in making brushes and brooms
coir
stiff coarse fiber from the outer husk of a coconut
raffia
fiber of a raffia palm used as light cordage and in making hats and baskets
dross,
impurity
worthless or dangerous material that should be removed
Styrofoam
a light resilient foam of polystyrene
feedstock
the raw material that is required for some industrial process
absorbate
a material that has been or is capable of being absorbed
adsorbate
a material that has been or is capable of being adsorbed
Cu,
atomic number 29,
copper
a ductile malleable reddish-brown corrosion-resistant diamagnetic metallic element; occurs in various minerals but is the only metal that occurs abundantly in large masses; used as an electrical and thermal conductor
Ag,
atomic number 47,
silver
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
amblygonite
a white or grey mineral consisting of lithium aluminum phosphate; a source of lithium
amphibole
a mineral or mineral variety belonging to the amphibole group
amphibole group
a group of minerals with similar crystal structures containing a silicate chain and combinations of chiefly sodium and calcium and magnesium and iron and aluminum
apatite
a common complex mineral consisting of calcium fluoride phosphate or calcium chloride phosphate; a source of phosphorus
aragonite
a mineral form of crystalline calcium carbonate; dimorphic with calcite
argentite
a valuable silver ore consisting of silver sulfide (Ag2S)
argyrodite
a rare steel-grey mineral consisting of silver and germanium and sulfur
asphalt,
mineral pitch
a dark bituminous substance found in natural beds and as residue from petroleum distillation; consists mainly of hydrocarbons
augite
dark-green to black glassy mineral of the pyroxene group containing large amounts of aluminum and iron and magnesium
bauxite
a clay-like mineral; the chief ore of aluminum; composed of aluminum oxides and aluminum hydroxides; used as an abrasive and catalyst
beryl
the chief source of beryllium; colored transparent varieties are valued as gems
borax
an ore of boron consisting of hydrated sodium borate; used as a flux or cleansing agent
bornite,
peacock ore
a mineral consisting of sulfides of copper and iron that is found in copper deposits
carnallite
a white or reddish mineral consisting of hydrous chlorides of potassium and magnesium; used as a fertilizer and as a source of potassium and magnesium
cassiterite
a hard heavy dark mineral that is the chief source of tin
celestite
a mineral consisting of strontium sulphate
chlorite
a generally green or black mineral; it occurs as a constituent of many rocks typically in the form of a flat crystal
chromite
a brownish-black mineral; the major source of chromium
chrysoberyl
a rare hard yellow green mineral consisting of beryllium aluminate in crystal form; used as a gemstone
cinnabar
a heavy reddish mineral consisting of mercuric sulfide; the chief source of mercury
cobaltite
a rare silvery-white mineral; important ore of cobalt
cordierite
a blue mineral of magnesium and iron and aluminum and silicon and oxygen; often used as a gemstone
cristobalite
a white mineral consisting of silica; found in volcanic rocks
crocolite
a rare lead chromite mineral that forms bright orange crystals
cuprite
a mineral consisting of cuprous oxide that is a source of copper
cutin
(biochemistry) a waxy transparent material that occurs in the cuticle of plants and consists of highly polymerized esters of fatty acids
bitter spar,
dolomite
a light colored mineral consisting of calcium magnesium carbonate; a source of magnesium; used as a ceramic and as fertilizer
emery
a hard grey-black mineral consisting of corundum and either hematite or magnetite; used as an abrasive (especially as a coating on paper)
cobalt bloom,
erythrite
a reddish mineral consisting of hydrated cobalt arsenate in monoclinic crystalline form and used in coloring glass; usually found in veins bearing cobalt and arsenic
fergusonite
a dark mineral consisting of oxides of yttrium and erbium and tantalum and other minerals
fluor,
fluorite,
fluorspar
a soft mineral (calcium fluoride) that is fluorescent in ultraviolet light; chief source of fluorine
gadolinite,
ytterbite
a mineral that is a source of rare earths; consists of silicates of iron and beryllium and cerium and yttrium and erbium
galena
soft blue-grey mineral; lead sulfide; a major source of lead
garnet
any of a group of hard glassy minerals (silicates of various metals) used as gemstones and as an abrasive
garnierite
a green mineral consisting of hydrated nickel magnesium silicate; a source of nickel
germanite
a rare reddish-grey mineral consisting of a copper iron germanium sulfide
gibbsite
white crystalline mineral consisting of aluminum hydroxide; a constituent of bauxite and a source of alumina
glauconite
a green mineral consisting of hydrated silicate of potassium or iron or magnesium or aluminum; found in greensand
gypsum
a common white or colorless mineral (hydrated calcium sulphate) used to make cements and plasters (especially plaster of Paris)
hausmannite
a mineral consisting of manganese tetroxide; a source of manganese
ilmenite
a weakly magnetic black mineral found in metamorphic and plutonic rocks; an iron titanium oxide in crystalline form; a source of titanium
jadeite
a hard green mineral consisting of sodium aluminum silicate in monoclinic crystalline form; a source of jade; found principally in Burma
kainite
a white mineral consisting of magnesium sulphate and potassium chloride; a source of potassium salts; used as a fertilizer
kaolinite
a mineral consisting of aluminum silicate; main source of kaolin
kernite
a light soft mineral consisting of hydrated sodium borate in crystalline form; an important source of boron
kieserite
a white mineral consisting of hydrous magnesium sulfate often found in salt mines
cyanite,
kyanite
a grey or greenish-blue mineral consisting of aluminum silicate in crystalline form; occurs in metaphoric rock, used as a refractory
langbeinite
a mineral consisting of potassium magnesium double sulphate; used as a fertilizer
magnesite
a white mineral consisting of magnesium carbonate; a source of magnesium
malachite
a green mineral used for jewelry, ornaments, and copper ore
manganite
a black mineral consisting of basic manganese oxide; a source of manganese
isinglass,
mica
any of various minerals consisting of hydrous silicates of aluminum or potassium etc. that crystallize in forms that allow perfect cleavage into very thin leaves; used as dielectrics because of their resistance to electricity
millerite
a yellow mineral consisting of nickel sulfide; a minor source of nickel
molybdenite
a mineral resembling graphite that is valued as the chief source of molybdenum and its compounds
monazite
a reddish-brown mineral containing rare earth metals; an important source of thorium and cerium
nepheline,
nephelite
a whitish mineral consisting of sodium aluminum silicate or potassium aluminum silicate in crystalline form; used in the manufacture of ceramics and enamels
nephelinite
an igneous rock consisting of nepheline and pyroxene
olivine
a mineral consisting of magnesium iron silicate; a source of magnesium
olivenite
rare green to black mineral consisting of hydrated copper arsenate that is found in copper deposits
opal
a translucent mineral consisting of hydrated silica of variable color; some varieties are used as gemstones
ore
a mineral that contains metal that is valuable enough to be mined
orpiment
a yellow mineral occurring in conjunction with realgar; an ore of arsenic
iridosmine,
osmiridium
a hard and corrosion resistant mineral that is a natural alloy of osmium and iridium (usually containing small amounts of rhodium and platinum); used in needles and pen nibs etc.
peat
partially carbonized vegetable matter saturated with water; can be used as a fuel when dried
pentlandite
a mineral (iron and nickel sulphide) that is the chief ore of nickel
pinite
grey or green or brown mineral similar to mica and containing aluminum and potassium sulphates
pollucite
a rare mineral that is an important source of cesium
psilomelane
a mineral consisting of hydrated basic oxide of manganese and barium; a source of manganese
pyrolusite
a mineral consisting of manganese dioxide; an important source of manganese
pyrophyllite
a white or greenish aluminum silicate mineral (resembles talc)
pyroxene
any of a group of crystalline silicate mineral common in igneous and metamorphic rocks
quartz
a hard glossy mineral consisting of silicon dioxide in crystal form; present in most rocks (especially sandstone and granite); yellow sand is quartz with iron oxide impurities
quartzite
hard metamorphic rock consisting essentially of interlocking quartz crystals
reactant
a chemical substance that is present at the start of a chemical reaction
realgar
a rare soft orange mineral consisting of arsenic sulphide; an important ore of arsenic
red clay
clay whose redness results from iron oxide
rhodochrosite
a mineral consisting of manganese carbonate; a source of manganese
rhodonite
a pink or red mineral consisting of crystalline manganese silicate; used as an ornamental stone
road metal
broken rock used for repairing or making roads
sial
the granitelike rocks that form the outermost layer of the earth's crust; rich in silicon and aluminum
sima
rock that form the continuous lower layer of the earth's crust; rich in silicon and magnesium
caliche
nitrate-bearing rock or gravel of the sodium nitrate deposits of Chile and Peru
shingling
(geology) sediment in which flat pebbles are uniformly tilted in the same direction
birdlime,
lime
a sticky adhesive that is smeared on small branches to capture small birds
spirit gum
an adhesive solution made of gum and ether and used to attach false hair to skin
binder
something used to bind separate particles together or facilitate adhesion to a surface
cement
something that hardens to act as adhesive material
library paste,
paste
an adhesive made from water and flour or starch; used on paper and paperboard
rubber cement
an adhesive made by dissolving unvulcanized rubber in a solvent like benzene or naphtha
sealant,
sealer
a kind of sealing material that is used to form a hard coating on a porous surface (as a coat of paint or varnish used to size a surface)
filler
used for filling cracks or holes in a surface
lute,
luting
a substance for packing a joint or coating a porous surface to make it impervious to gas or liquid
Alar,
daminozide
a chemical sprayed on fruit trees to regulate their growth so the entire crop can be harvested at one time
aphanite
fine-grained homogeneous rock (such as basalt) containing minerals undetectable by the naked eye
carrier
an inactive substance that is a vehicle for a radioactive tracer of the same substance and that assists in its recovery after some chemical reaction
animal oil
any oil obtained from animal substances
dentin,
dentine
a calcareous material harder and denser than bone that comprises the bulk of a tooth
horn
the material (mostly keratin) that covers the horns of ungulates and forms hooves and claws and nails
shell
the material that forms the hard outer covering of many animals
art paper
a high-quality paper (usually having a filler of china clay)