tasmanite

noun

tas·​ma·​nite

ˈtazməˌnīt

plural -s

1

: a compound of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur in minute reddish brown scales in shale

2

: a light-colored shaly coal that is composed largely of the compound tasmanite and yields a large quantity of petroleum on dry distillation

called also combustible shale

Word History

Etymology

Tasmania, its locality + English -ite

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