Dictionary

Iceland spar en · NOUN

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A transparent form of calcite, used to demonstrate the polarization of light.
   • portions of the original aragonite—which make up the nacreous layers of the pearl—had, through “induced paramorphism,” as it was known to the artful sons of Nippon, been selectively changed here and there to a different form of calcium carbonate—namely, to microscopic crystals of the doubly refracting calcite known as Iceland spar. 2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage, published 2007, page 127:

Forms

Synonyms

Iceland crystal

Translations (1)

cmn 冰洲石 (A transparent variety of calcite)