Shortite is a rare mineral that was discovered in 1929. It is a carbonate mineral that is commonly found in copper deposits and is often purple or reddish-brown in color. There are not many synonyms for shortite because it is a specific type of mineral, but there are other names for similar minerals. For example, smithsonite, which is also a carbonate mineral and is found in zinc deposits, can be a pale blue or green color. Another related mineral is siderite, which is also a carbonate mineral and is found in iron deposits.