Hazen-MineralogyHistReview-1984 (2)

Mineralogy Overview

• Mineralogy: Study of naturally occurring elements and compounds that make up the solid portions of the universe.

• Significance of Mineralogy:

  • Principal source of inorganic chemicals.

  • Provides raw materials for technology and economy.

  • Insights into atomic structure and bonding.

  • Key to understanding the origins and evolution of Earth and planets.

Key Questions in Mineralogy

1. What are the origins of minerals?

2. What are the chemical, physical, and structural properties of minerals?

3. How should minerals be classified?

4. What are the economic applications of minerals?

Historical Development of Mineralogy

• Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries: Transition from qualitative to quantitative science.

• Development of applied mineralogy.

Origins of Minerals

• Ancient theories categorized minerals with inanimate objects.

• Observation of certain fossils, such as cave formations and salt, led to hypotheses about mineral growth.

• Eighteenth-century theories included "lapidifying juices" that led to solidification.

• René-Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur's experiments established mineral growth and solidification principles.

• Sir James Hall pioneered experiments creating high-pressure environments that improved understanding of mineral formation.

Key Figures and Discoveries

• James Hutton: Defended the plutonic theory of basalt formation using Hall's data.

• Gabriel-Auguste Daubrée and Ferdinand André Fouqué: Summarized synthesis of igneous minerals in key monographs.

• Joseph Paxton Iddings: Explained phenocrysts in volcanic lavas using experimental data.

Transition to Quantitative Model

• By the 1870s, focus shifted from synthesis of individual minerals to understanding mineral assemblages.

• Ferdinand Zirkel: Notable petrographer explored mineral relationships through rock thin sections.

• Josiah Willard Gibbs: Developed thermodynamic generalizations related to mineral phases.

Properties of Minerals

• Importance stems from distinctive chemical, physical, and crystallographic properties.

Chemistry of Minerals

• Source of inorganic chemicals and essential for chemical industry.

• Historical Development:

  • Emergence of qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis.

  • Robert Boyle redefined elements in his work "The Sceptical Chymist."

  • Notable chemists like Martin Heinrich Klaproth and Justus von Liebig made significant contributions to the classification and analysis of minerals.

Analytical Techniques

• Blowpipe Analysis: Developed by Axel Fredrik Cronstedt and later refined, this technique allowed quicker identification of minerals.

• The discovery of new elements, especially between 1860 and 1920, was heavily influenced by chemical analysis.

Key Chemical Principles

• Law of Definite Proportions: Chemicals combine in specific ratios.

• Atomic Theory: Foundational to understanding the behavior of elements in compounds.

• Isomorphism and Polymorphism: Recognized by Eilhard Mitscherlich as essential for mineral classification.

  • Allows for understanding substitutions within mineral structures.

Crystallography and Mineral Structure

• Early theories explored internal structures through corpuscular hypothesis (Hooke) vs. polar hypothesis (Steno).

• Progress in measurements and classifications of crystals and minerals undertaken by various scientists over the centuries.

• The advent of x-ray diffraction revolutionized crystallography in the early 20th century.

Classification of Minerals

• Applies to the organization by shared properties or characteristics, intertwined with contemporary scientific theories.

• Historical classification methods have evolved:

  • Theophrastus' early categories based on reaction to fire and water.

  • Agricola's classification based on physical properties.

• James Dwight Dana’s system in the mid-19th century established a major basis for mineral classification, emphasizing chemistry and association of crystalline structure.

• Ongoing debates from the 18th century reflect the constant evolution in how minerals are classified.

Concluding Remarks

• New technological advances have begun to reveal that many minerals are not in perfect equilibrium, leading to a deeper understanding of their histories and the geological processes involved.

• Continuous research promises to unfold further insights in mineralogical sciences.