Glossary of Terms & Facts

Marcasite

General Information and Physical Properties of Marcasite Marcasite is a sulfide mineral with the chemical formula FeS. It has an orthorhombic crystal structure and belongs to the Strunz classification 2.EB.10a....

LVMH

History and Corporate Structure LVMH was formed in 1987 through the merger of Louis Vuitton and Moët Hennessy. LVMH is a component of the Euro Stoxx 50 stock market index....

Lustre (mineralogy)

Types of Lustre Lustre refers to radiance, gloss, or brilliance in minerals. Terms used to describe lustre include earthy, metallic, greasy, silky, and vitreous. Lustre varies on a continuum and...

Loupe

Types of Loupes Simple lenses used for low-magnification designs Compound lenses used for higher magnifications Prismatic lenses with multiple lenses and prisms Binocular loupes provide a stereoscopic view and are...

Lost-wax casting

Introduction and Process of Lost-Wax Casting Lost-wax casting, also known as investment casting, precision casting, or cire perdue Duplicate sculptures are cast from an original sculpture Oldest known examples date...

Lonsdaleite

Lonsdaleite Properties and Structure Allotrope of carbon with a hexagonal lattice Translucent and brownish-yellow in color Refractive index of 2.40-2.41 Specific gravity of 3.2-3.3 Hardness theoretically superior to cubic diamond...

Little finger

Etymology and Usage Derived from the Dutch word 'pink,' meaning little finger. Earliest recorded use of the term pinkie is from Scotland in 1808. Common in Scottish English, American English,...

Lignite

Characteristics and Formation of Lignite Lignite is brownish-black in color with a carbon content of 60-70% on a dry ash-free basis. Its inherent moisture content can be as high as...

Lazare Kaplan International

Business Activities and Operations LKI's main business activity is cutting and polishing ideal-cut and fine make diamonds. It sells its diamonds to upscale retail jewelers worldwide. LKI distributes its products...

Larimar

History Father Miguel Domingo Fuertes Loren requested permission to explore and exploit the mine of a blue rock in 1916. Larimar was rediscovered by Miguel Méndez and Peace Corps volunteer...

Lapis lazuli

Sources and Production of Lapis Lazuli Mines in northeast Afghanistan are a major source of lapis lazuli. Important amounts are also produced from mines west of Lake Baikal in Russia....

Lapidary

Etymology and History of Lapidary The word 'lapidary' comes from the Latin word 'lapis,' meaning stone. In the 14th century, the term evolved from 'lapidarius,' meaning stonecutter, into the Old...