pitchblende

English

Etymology

From German Pechblende, from Pech (“pitch”) + Blende (“blende”).

Pronunciation
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈpɪtʃblɛnd/
  • Rhymes: -ɛnd

Noun

pitchblende (countable and uncountable, plural pitchblendes)

  1. (mineralogy) Naturally-occurring uranium oxide, a variety of the mineral uraninite.
    • 2004, Richard Fortey, The Earth, Folio Society, published 2011, page 205:
      Working in Paris in 1898, Marie and Pierre Curie processed thousands of pounds of pitchblende from the same glass-factory tailings in order to isolate two radioactive elements that had hitherto been unknown: radium and polonium.

Translations
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