Calcite \Cal"cite\ (k[a^]l"s[imac]t), n. [L. calx, calcis,
lime.] (Min.)
Calcium carbonate, or carbonate of lime. It is rhombohedral
in its crystallization, and thus distinguished from
aragonite. It includes common limestone, chalk, and marble.
Called also calc-spar and calcareous spar.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Argentine is a pearly lamellar variety; aphrite is
foliated or chalklike; dogtooth spar, a form in acute
rhombohedral or scalenohedral crystals; calc-sinter and
calc-tufa are lose or porous varieties formed in
caverns or wet grounds from calcareous deposits; agaric
mineral is a soft, white friable variety of similar
origin; stalaclite and stalagmite are varieties formed
from the drillings in caverns. Iceland spar is a
transparent variety, exhibiting the strong double
refraction of the species, and hence is called doubly
refracting spar.
[1913 Webster]
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