noun
- Plural of anhydrite; a mineral form of calcium sulfate (CaSO₄) that occurs naturally in evaporite deposits.
Usage: technical; geology
Examples
- Anhydrites are commonly found in salt domes and evaporite sequences.
- The geologist identified several layers of anhydrites in the core sample.
- Anhydrites can absorb water and convert to gypsum over time.
- Mining operations extract anhydrites for use in cement and plaster production.
- The presence of anhydrites indicates an ancient arid depositional environment.