coesite
/ˈkoʊˌsaɪt/
noun
- A very hard, dense form of the mineral silica (silicon dioxide) that forms under extremely high pressure, such as from meteorite impacts or deep underground.
- The presence of coesite in the mountain range showed that these rocks had once been buried deep in the Earth's crust.
- Geologists found coesite in the rocks at the impact crater, proving the meteorite struck with enormous force.
- Under a microscope, coesite looks different from ordinary quartz because of its unique crystal structure.