witherite
/ˈwɪðərʌɪt
/noun [mass noun]
A rare white mineral consisting of barium carbonate, occurring especially in veins of galena.The mining of nonmetallic ores - fluorspar, witherite, and barite (known locally as baryte) - in the Northern Pennines began about the time lead and iron mining were in serious decline....
- The most common ores of barium are barite and witherite.
- Other carbonates, i.e., ankerite, siderite, witherite, strontianite, may form if the respective metal cations are available.
Origin
Late 18th century: from the name of William Withering (1741–99), the English physician and scientist who first described it, + -ite1.