Mineral/rock

Derived from or for

Actinolite

Greek actino = ray and lithos = stone in reference to its occurrence in bundles of radiating needles

Agalmatolite

Greek algalma = image and lithos = stone as it was carved by the Chinese

Agate

locality at the River Achates, now Drillo in Sicily, where it was originally found

Aggregate

Latin aggregatus = to lead to a flock, add to

Akageneite

locality at Akagame mine, Iwate Prefecture, Japan

Alabandite

locality at Alabanda in Caria, Asia Minor

Alabaster

ancient ointment jars called alabastra and perhaps Alabastron in Egypt; alternatively from Egyptian a-la-baste = ship of the Goddess Ebaste = Bubaste

Albite

Latin albus = white, for its color

Alexandrite

Czar Alexander II (1818-1881) of Russia

Allanite

Thomas Allan (1777-1833), Scottish mineralogist and first observer

Almandine (garnet)

Alabanda, Asia Minor, where garnets were cut and polished

Aluminum

Latin alumen = alum, original name for natural aluminum sulfate

Alunite

Latin alumen = alum (see above) and French alun = alum

Amazonite

locality at Amazon River, South America

Amber

French ambre from Arabic anbar = ambergris (now obsolete)

Amblygonite

Greek amblys = dull, obtuse and gonia = angle, in reference to cleavage angle

Amethyst

Latin amethystus and Greek amethystos = not drunken as the stone and plant was thought to orevent intoxication

Amosite

acronym of Asbestos Mines of South Africa

Analcime

Greek analkis = without strength due to its weak electrical properties when heated or rubbed

Anatase

Greek anatasis = extension because of the greater length of the common pyramid as compared with other tetragonal minerals

Andradite (garnet)

J.B.d'Andrada e Silva (1763-1838), Brazilian mineralogist and first observer

Anhydrite

Greek anhydros = dry or without water

Anorthite

Greek for not straight, because of its triclinic symmetry

Antimony 

Latin from Greek anti = against plus monos = a metal seldom found alone

Andalusite

locality at Andalusia, Spain

Anthophyllite

neo-Latin anthophyllum = clove for its brown color, Greek lithos = stone

Apatite

Greek apate = deceit since it was often mistaken for other minerals

Aphthitalite

Greek aphthitos = unchangeable or indestructible, alis = salt, and lithos = stone since it is very stable in air

Aquamarine

Latin aqua marina = seawater alluding to its pale bluish-green color

Aragonite

locality at Aragon, Spain, where it was first identified

Arcanite

Medieval Latin alchemical name, Arcanum duplicatum = double secret

Asbestos

Latin and Greek asbestos = inextinguishable alluding to its early uses as a wick

Ascherite

a.k.a Szaibelyle 

Atacamite

locality at Atacama Desert, Chile

Attapulgite

locality at Attapulgus, Georgia, USA

Axinite

Greek axine = ax in reference to its wedge-shaped crystals

Azoproit

Russian title for the International Association for the Study of Deep Zones of the Earth's Crust (AZOPRO) since it was found during the preparation of a guidebook for the Association's meeting in Baikal in 1969