Nicolite
/ˈnɪkəˌlaɪt/noun
A rare nickel arsenide mineral, NiAs, found in some ore deposits.
Did you know?Nicolite was named from its nickel content, and the element nickel itself got its name from a German mining term tied to a goblin-like trickster spirit that miners blamed when they couldn’t extract copper.
Etymological Timeline
Modern mineralogy
English
nicolite
“A mineral species consisting of nickel arsenide.”
19th Century
English
niccolite
“An earlier spelling used for nickel arsenide minerals.”
1750s
German
Kupfernickel
“A misleading copper-colored ore that miners associated with a mischievous mine spirit, later linked to nickel.”
1750s
Swedish
nickel
“The name adopted for the new metal nickel from German mining terminology.”
Modern chemical nomenclature
English
nickel
“The metallic element used in alloys and plating.”