Re: Why do most mineral names end in 'ite'?

Thats is a very good question. It is also one I never asked myself. To answer it I looked up "ite" in a simple dictonary. "ite" is a suffix added to the root of the main name of a mineral or rock. "ite" can mean native, descendant, product or according to the dictonary I used, mineral. Therefore I would have to say that minerals end in "ite" because it helps describe the nature of a mineral or rock. For example the rock quartzite is named as such because quartz was/is its chief native mineral.

Well I hope that helps.