Noun
biolith (plural bioliths)
- (petrology) A rock or other geological feature formed by living organisms.
1915, David Holde, Edward Mueller, The examination of hydrocarbon oils and of saponifiable fats and waxes, page 7:By extraction of a combustible biolith with different solvents, Holde was able to obtain as much as 7.7 percent of fatty, wax-like or colophony-like bodies.
1955, Roger Van Vloten, Geology of the border region between Coaluila and Zacatecas, Mexico, page 141:The third theory which was advanced to explain the formation of phosphorites is the classical biolith hypothesis.
2001, Alina Kabata-Pendias, Henryk Pendias, Trace elements in soils and plants, page 144:Under conditions of strong oxidation, Cd is likely to form minerals (CdO, CdCO3) and is also likely to be accumulated in phosphate and in biolith deposits.