noun
- Plural of cerite; a mineral containing rare-earth elements, typically cerium, found in igneous rocks.
Usage: mineralogy; technical
Examples
- Cerites are important sources of rare-earth elements used in modern technology.
- The geologist identified cerites in the granite sample under the microscope.
- Mining operations extract cerites to obtain cerium and other lanthanides.
- Cerites occur naturally in pegmatites and other igneous rock formations.