biolith

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English

Etymology

From bio- +‎ -lith.

Noun

biolith (plural bioliths)

  1. (petrology) A rock or other geological feature formed by living organisms.
    • 1915, David Holde, Edward Mueller, The examination of hydrocarbon oils and of saponifiable fats and waxes, page 7:
      By extraction of a combustible biolith with different solvents, Holde was able to obtain as much as 7.7 percent of fatty, wax-like or colophony-like bodies.
    • 1955, Roger Van Vloten, Geology of the border region between Coaluila and Zacatecas, Mexico, page 141:
      The third theory which was advanced to explain the formation of phosphorites is the classical biolith hypothesis.
    • 2001, Alina Kabata-Pendias, Henryk Pendias, Trace elements in soils and plants, page 144:
      Under conditions of strong oxidation, Cd is likely to form minerals (CdO, CdCO3) and is also likely to be accumulated in phosphate and in biolith deposits.

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