pitchblende

Definition

Naturally-occurring uranium oxide, a variety of the mineral uraninite.

Etymology

From German Pechblende, from Pech (“pitch”) + Blende (“blende”).

Example Sentences

• "Working in Paris in 1898, Marie and Pierre Curie processed thousands of pounds of pitchblende from the same glass-factory tailings in order to isolate two radioactive elements that had hitherto been unknown: radium and polonium."