Xocolatlite is a
sulfate mineral
The sulfate minerals are a class of minerals that include the sulfate ion () within their structure. The sulfate minerals occur commonly in primary evaporite depositional environments, as gangue minerals in hydrothermal veins and as secondary mine ...
named for its chocolatey appearance. Discovered in the
''La Bambolla'' gold mine of
Moctezuma, Sonora
Moctezuma is a ''municipio'' (municipality) of the Mexican state of Sonora, located in the state's central region. It is also the name of its largest settlement and '' cabecera municipal'' (municipal seat).
Area and population
The municipal area ...
,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, Xocolatlite's name is derived from the
Nahuatl word ''
xocolatl'' (literally "bitter water"; a root word of "
chocolate
Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cacao seed kernels that is available as a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring agent in other foods. Cacao has been consumed in some form since at least the Olmec civ ...
"), a drink made from
cocoa,
water
Water (chemical formula ) is an Inorganic compound, inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living ...
, and
chili.
References
Sulfate minerals
Monoclinic minerals
Minerals in space group 10
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