132 Derivations of Mineral Names. 
The original form of Gr. ddapa¢ has been retained in the Engl. 
adjective adamantine=diamond-like, and in other words :— 
PE Se ate - ‘three folds were brass, 
Three iron, three of adamantine rock.” 
— Milton, 1660. 
Mace is the name of a mineral which, when broken across its 
principal axis, shows a white cross or rhomboid spot enclosed within 
a dark matrix. The word is derived from L. macula, spot. G. 
makel, blemish ; Engl. maculate, to spot, and immaculate, are from 
the same root, as is Fr. macule, spot. Macula is classical, and may 
have reached the Romans from Gr. pazxedov=inclusion, mark. 
Pierres de macle was applied to the mineral in 1751 by Robien. 
(Dana.) The meaning of Fr. macle is “ perforated rhomb”: 
whence its application to the mineral, which often shows such a 
figure on cross-section. 
CARBUNCLE.—Pliny uses the name carbunculus, a diminutive of 
carbo=coal, in allusion to the resemblance of the gem to a glowing 
coal. In G. the b has changed to an f—Karfunkel—but remains 
b in Sw. Karbunkel. It is a coincidence that the G. funkeln means 
glowing, scintillating. “ Curbunculi a similitudine ignium apellati.” 
(Pliny. 
While the Greeks had a totally different name for the mineral, 
it is interesting to note that the origin of both the L. and Gr. words 
refer to the same peculiarity—i.e., to some glowing light. The Gr. 
name is derived from Avyvevw==[ shine brightly, I light up. 
SMALTITE.— The Gothic form of smalyan, smalteis=melt, or 
smelt—was smalzian in M. H. G.; then smelzan (G. schmelzen); 
and these resulted in the M. L. smaltum=glass-flux. In the ninth 
century M. L. smaltum was used in the sense of smelted substance= 
enamel—in describing a “ crux pulcherrima gemmis et smaltis.” (Ana- 
stasius.) It. smalto and G. Smalte, as well as M. L. smaltwm, were 
finally applied to the blue cobalt glasses and cobalt colors, which be- 
came known about the middle of the sixteenth century. Since that 
time the word has retained its specific meaning. H. G. Smalte or 
Schmalte, Fr. smalt, Engl. smalts, Sw. smalts, all designate the color 
or substance known as cobalt-blue. 
STANNITE is derived from L. stannum, originally stagnum. It 
is probable that the word is of “Celtic origin; and the Irish stan, 
Welsh ystaen, may be regarded as direct descendants from the old 
root. Sueton and Pliny knew stannum as an alloy of tin and lead. 
