noun
- A dark greenish or brownish silicate mineral of the pyroxene group, containing magnesium and iron; an orthopyroxene.
Usage: mineralogy; geology; technical
Examples
- Hypersthenes is commonly found in igneous rocks such as basalt and gabbro.
- The geologist identified hypersthenes in the thin section of the metamorphic rock.
- Hypersthenes crystals often display a metallic luster and are opaque.
- The mineral hypersthenes contains both magnesium and iron in its crystal structure.
- Hypersthenes is one of the most abundant pyroxene minerals in the Earth's crust.