noun
- A dark, brittle, bituminous mineral or rock composed mainly of hydrocarbons; a naturally occurring asphalt-like substance.
Usage: geology; mineralogy; technical
Examples
- Asphaltite deposits are found in certain sedimentary rock formations.
- The geologist identified asphaltite samples from the Utah basin.
- Asphaltite is sometimes used as a source material for bitumen production.
- The dark mineral asphaltite contains high concentrations of organic compounds.