erionite

1. (mineralogy) A zeolite mineral with a molecular structure similar to chabazite, usually found in weathered volcanic ash.Examples: "1997, R. P. Nolan, A. M. Langer, Physico-chemical Properties of Inorganic Particles Controlling Biological Activity, J. H. Duffus (chief editor), Carcinogenicity of Inorganic Substances, Royal Society of Chemistry, page 49, The dust clouds for both the erionite and crocidolite exposures containing 10mg/ m⁻³ of dust, which produce fibre levels of 354 fibre cm⁻³ and 1630 fibre cm⁻³ > 5 µm in length, respectively. The erionite cloud contained fewer fibres and more equant particles."; "Moreover, Timblin et al. (1998) reported that while both erionites and crocidolite exposure induced genetic damage, as supported by increased unscheduled DNA synthesis, crocidolite was much faster and more effective than erionite at inducing apoptosis."; "Erionite is one of a large group of silicate minerals called zeolites, microporous aluminosilicates, commonly found in altered volcanic tuffs, volcanic ash and muds derived from them."countableuncountable