TERMIUM Plus®

The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.

HEAVY MINERAL [1 record]

Record 1 2006-10-26

English

Subject field(s)
  • Mineralogy
DEF

An accessory detrital mineral of a sedimentary rock, of high specific gravity, e.g., magnetite, ilmenite, zircon, rutile.

CONT

The term "heavy mineral" is commonly applied to minerals which sink in bromoform (density 2.9).

CONT

Eluvial placers ... are formed upon hill slopes from minerals released from a nearby source rock. The heavies collect above and just downslope of the source. The lighter non-resistant minerals are dissolved or swept downhill by rain wash or are blown away by the wind.

OBS

As opposed to "light mineral."

OBS

As a noun, "heavy" is usually plural in form.

Key term(s)
  • heavies

French

Domaine(s)
  • Minéralogie
DEF

[...] minéral de densité supérieure à 2,87.

CONT

[...] la plupart des altérations remplacent des minéraux fragiles et instables par de nouveaux beaucoup plus résistants à une nouvelle transformation, ce qui explique leur persistance sous forme de «minéraux lourds» dans les roches sédimentaires détritiques.

OBS

L'expression [minéraux lourds est] utilisée en pétrographie sédimentaire pour désigner les minéraux qui coulent au fond dans un bain de bromoforme (d = 2,87) [...]. Sphène, zircon, rutile, anatase, tourmaline, [...] sont des minéraux lourds fréquents dans les roches sédimentaires détritiques [...]

OBS

Par opposition à «minéral léger».

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Mineralogía
DEF

Mineral de elevada densidad y frecuentemente de gran resistencia a la alteración química y al desgaste físico.

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