List of minerals named after people

This is a list of minerals named after people. The chemical composition follows name when available.

For other lists of eponyms (names derived from people) see Lists of etymologies.

For a list of eponyms sorted by name see List of eponyms.

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Sorted by name:

A

• Adamite Zn₂AsO₄OH – French mineralogist Gilbert Joseph Adam (1795-1881)
• Alexandrite (variety of Chrysoberyl) – Tsar Alexander II of Russia (1818-1881)
• Alforsite Ba₅Cl(PO₄)₃ – American geologist John T. Alfors (1930 - 2005)
• Ankerite CO₃)₂ – an Austrian mineralogist Matthias Joseph Anker (1771-1843)
• Arfvedsonite Na₃(Fe,Mg)₄FeSi₈O₂₂(OH)₂ – Swedish chemist Johan August Arfwedson (1792-1841)
• Armalcolite (Mg,Fe⁺⁺)Ti₂O₅ – American astronauts ARM Neil Armstrong, AL Buzz Aldrin and COL Michael Collins

B

• Baddeleyite ZrO₂ – Joseph Baddeley
• Bertrandite Be₄Si₂O₇(OH)₂ – French mineralogist Léon Bertrand
• Bilibinskite Au₂Cu₂PbTe₂₊ – Soviet geologist Yuri A. Bilibin (1901-1952)
• Bixbite Be₃(AlMn)₂Si₆O₁₈ – ; American mineralogist Maynard Bixby
• Bixbyite (Fe,Mn)₂O₃ – American mineralogist Maynard Bixby
• Blödite Na₂Mg(SO₄)₂•4(H₂O – German chemist Carl August Blöde (1773-1820)
• Blossite αCu₂V₂O₇ – mineralogist F. Donald Bloss
• Bournonite PbCuSbS₃ – French aristocrat Count J. L. de Bournon (1756-1825)^[1]
• Briartite Cu₂(Zn,Fe)GeS₄ – Belgian geologist Gaston Briart
• Brookite TiO₂ – English mineralogist Henry James Brooke (1771–1857)
• Brucite Mg(OH)₂ – American mineralogist Archibald Bruce (1777-1818).

C

• Canfieldite Ag₈SnS₆ – American mining engineer Frederick Alexander Canfield (1849-1926)
• Carnallite KMgCl₃•6(H₂O) – Prussian mining engineer, Rudolph von Carnall (1804-1874)
• Carnotite K₂(UO₂)₂(VO₄)₂ – French mining engineer and chemist Marie Adolphe Carnot (1839-1920)
• Cernyite Cu₂CdSnS₄ – Canadian mineralogist Petr Cerny
• Cesbronite Cu₆(TeO₃)₂(OH) ₆2H₂0 – French mineralogist Fabian Cesbron
• Cleveite UO₂•UO₃•PO•ThO₂ – Swedish chemist Per Teodor Cleve (1840–1905)
• Clintonite Ca(Mg,Al)₃(Al₃Si)O₁₀(OH)₂ – De Witt Clinton (1769-1828)
• Coesite (form of SiO₂)– Loring Coes, Jr.
• Coffinite U(SiO₄)_1-x(OH)_4x – American geologist Reuben Clare Coffin
• Colemanite (Ca₂B₆O₁₁•5H₂O) – mine owner William T. Coleman (1824-1893)
• Cooperite (Pt,Pd,Ni)S – mineralogist R. Cooper
• Cordierite (Mg,Fe)₂Al₄Si₅O₁₈ to (Fe,Mg)₂Al₄Si₅O₁₈ – French geologist P. L. A. Cordier (1777-1861)
• Covellite both Cu²⁺, S^2- and 2Cu⁺, S₂^2- – Niccola Covelli (1790-1829)
• Crookesite either as Cu₇(Tl,Ag)Se₄ or (Cu,Tl,Ag)₂Se – English chemist and physicist Sir William Crookes (1832-1919)

D

• Dawsonite NaAlCO₃(OH)₂ – Canadian geologist Sir John William Dawson (1820–1899)
• Dickite Al₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄ – Scottish metallurgical chemist Allan Brugh Dick (1833-1926)
• Domeykite Cu₃As – Polish geologist and mineralogist Ignacy Domeyko (1802-1889)
• Donnayite NaCaSr₃Y(CO₃)₆•3H₂0 – Canadian professors J. D. H. Donnay and G. Donnay
• Dumortierite Al_6.5-7BO₃(SiO₄)₃(O,OH)₃ – French paleontologist Eugene Dumortier (1803-1873)

F

• Ferberite FeWO₄ – Moritz Rudolph Ferber (1805-1875)
• Ferrierite (Na,K)₂Mg(Si,Al)₁₈O₃₆(OH)•9H₂O – Canadian geologist and mining engineer Walter Frederick Ferrier (1865-1950)
• Fergusonite (Ce,La,Nd)NbO₄ – British Politician and mineral collector Robert Ferguson of Raith (1767–1840)
• Forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) – German naturalist Johann Reinhold Forster (1729-1798)
• Franckeite Pb₅Sn₃Sb₂S₁₄ – mining engineers Carl Francke and Ernest Francke
• Freieslebenite AgPbSbS₃ – Johann Karl Freiesleben (1774-1846)
• Friedrichite CU₅Pb₅Bi₇S₁₈ – Austrian geologist O. M. Friedrich

G

• Gadolinite (Ce,La,Nd,Y)₂FeBe₂Si₂O₁₀ – Finnish mineralogist- chemist Johan Gadolin (1760-1852)
• Gahnite ZnAl₂O₄ – Swedish chemist Johan Gottlieb Gahn (1745-1818)
• Garnierite – Jules Garnier
• Geigerite Mn₅(AsO₃OH)₂(AsO₄)₂•10H₂O – Swiss mineralogist Thomas P. Geiger
• Genkinite (Pt,Pd)₄Sb₃ – Soviet mineralogist A. D. Genkin
• Gibbsite Al(OH)₃ – American collector G. Gibbs (1776-1833)
• Goethite FeOOH – German polymath Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
• Grunerite Fe₇Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂ – Swiss-French chemist Louis Gruner
• Gunningite (Zn,Mn²⁺)SO₄•H₂O – Canadian geologist and academic Dr. Henry Cecil Gunning (1901–1991)

H

• Haggertyite Ba(Fe²⁺₆Ti₅Mg)O₁₉ – Stephen E. Haggerty (born 1938)
• Hapkeite Fe₂Si – American planetary scientist Bruce Hapke
• Hawleyite – Canadian mineralogist James Edwin Hawley (1897 - 1965)
• Heulandite (Ca,Na)_2-3Al₃(Al,Si)₂Si₁₃O₃₆·12H₂O – English mineral collector Henry Heuland (1778-1856)
• Hübnerite MnWO₄ – German mineralologist Adolf Huebner
• Hutchinsonite (Tl,Pb)₂As₅S₉ – Cambridge mineralogist Arthur Hutchinson (1866-1937)

K

• Kieserite (MgSO₄•H₂O) – Dietrich Georg von Kieser
• Kleberite FeTi₆0₁₃•4H₂0 – German professor Will Kleber (1906-1970)
• Kobellite (Pb₂₂Cu₄(Bi,Sb)₃₀S₆₉) – German mineralogist Wolfgang Franz von Kobell (1803-1882)
• Kogarkoite Na₃(SO₄)F – Russian scientist Lia Nikolaevna Kogarko
• Kolbeckite ScPO₄·2H₂O – German mineralogist Friedrich LW Kolbeck
• Krennerite AuTe₂ varying to (Au_0.8,Ag_0.2)Te₂ – Hungarian mineralogist Joseph Krenner (1839-1920)
• Kukharenkoite-(Ce) Ba₃CeF(CO₃)₃ – Russian mineralogist Alexander A. Kukharenko (1914-1993)

L

• Larimar – Larissa Méndez
• Lonsdaleite – British crystallographer Kathleen Lonsdale (1903-1971)
• Lorandite TlAsS₂ – Hungarian physicist Loránd Eötvös (1848-1919)

M

• Maricite NaFePO₄ – Yugoslavian mineralogist Luba Maric
• McKelveyite Ba₃NaCa_0.75U_0.25Y(CO₃)₆•3(H₂O) – American geologist Vincent E. McKelvey (1916-1985)
• Millerite NiS – British mineralogist William Hallowes Miller (1801-1880)
• Moissanite SiC (naturally occurring) – discoverer Dr. Henri Moissan)
• Morganite – American financier J. P. Morgan (1837-1913)
• Murdochite – American mineralogist Joseph Murdock (1890-1973)

P

• Penikisite – Canadian explorer Gunar Penikis
• Perovskite CaTiO₃ – Russian mineralogist, L. A. Perovski (1792-1856)
• Petzite Ag₃AuTe₂ W. Petz
• Pezzottaite Cs(Be₂Li)Al₂Si₆O₁₈ Italian geologist and mineralogist Federico Pezzotta
• Phillipsite (Ca,Na₂,K₂)₃Al₆Si₁₀O₃₂·12H₂O. or KCaAl₃Si₅O₁₆·6H₂O – English mineralogist and geologist William Phillips (1775-1828)
• Prehnite Ca₂Al(AlSi₃O₁₀)(OH)₂ – Dutch governor Colonel Hendrik Von Prehn
• Proustite Ag₃AsS₃ Chemist J. L. Proust

R

• Riebeckite Na₂(Fe,Mg)₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂ – German explorer Emil Riebeck (1853-1885)

S

• Samarskite Y_0.2REE_0.3Fe³⁺_0.3U_0.2Nb_0.8Ta_0.2O₄ – Russian official Colonel Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets (1803-1870)
• Sanbornite BaSi₂O₅ – American mineralogist Frank B. Sanborn (1862-1936)
• Satterlyite – Canadian geologist Jack Satterly
• Schreibersite (Fe,Ni)₃P –
• Sekaninaite ((Fe⁺²,Mg)₂Al₄Si₅O₁₈) – Czech mineralogist Josef Sekanina
• Sillimanite Al₂SiO₅ – American chemist Benjamin Silliman (1779-1864)
• Smithsonite ZnCO₃ – British chemist and mineralogist, James Smithson (1754-1829)
• Sodalite (informally named Princess Blue) – Princess Patricia of Connaught (1886-1974)
• Sperrylite PtAs₂ – American chemist Francis Louis Sperry
• Steacyite K_variableCa.Na.Th.U.Si₈O₂₀ – Canadian mineralogist Harold Robert Steacy (b. 1923)
• Stephanite Ag₅SbS₄ – Archduke Stephan of Austria
• Stichtite Mg₆Cr₂CO₃(OH)₁₆.4H₂O – Australian mine manager Robert Stich
• Stilleite ZnSe – German geologist Hans Stille (1876-1966)
• Stolzite PbWO₄ – Czechoslovakian Joseph Alexi Stolz
• Stromeyerite (copper-silver sulphide) – German chemist, Friedrich Stromeyer (1776 - 1835)
• Sugilite KNa₂(Fe,Mn,Al)₂Li₃Si₁₂O₃₀ – Japanese petrologist Ken-ichi Sugi (1901-1948)
• Sylvite KCl – Dutch chemist François Sylvius de le Boe (1614-1672)

T

• Teallite PbSnS₂ – British geologist Jethro Justinian Harris Teall (1849-1924)
• Tennantite Cu₁₂As₄S₁₃ – English chemist Smithson Tennant (1761-1815)
• Tenorite CuO – Italian botanist Michele Tenore (1780-1861)
• Thomasclarkite Na_0.8Ce_0.2Y_0.5REE_0.7(HCO₃)(OH)₃•4(H₂O) – Canadian geologist Thomas Clark (1893-1996)
• Thortveitite (Sc,Y)₂Si₂O₇ – Norwegian engineer Olaus Thortveit
• Tiemannite HgSe – CW Tiemann (1848-1899)
• Torbernite Cu(UO₂)₂(PO₄)₂ · 8-12H₂O – Swedish chemist Tornbern Bergmann (1735-1784)

U

• Ulexite (NaCaB₅O₉•8H₂O) – German chemist G. L. Ulex
• Ullmannite NiSbS – German chemist and mineralogist Johann Christoph Ullmann (1771-1821)
• Uvarovite Ca₃Cr₂(SiO₄)₃ – Russian Count Sergei Semenovitch Uvarov (1765-1855)

V

• Valentinite Sb₂O₃ – German alchemist Basilius Valentinus (c. 15th-century)
• Vaterite CaCO₃ – German mineralogist Heinrich Vater
• Vivianite Fe₃(PO₄)₂·8(H₂O) – English mineralogist J.G. Vivian

W

• Wardite NaAl₃(PO₄)₂(OH)₄•2(H₂O) – American naturalist Henry Augustus Ward (1834-1906)
• Weloganite Na₂(Sr,Ca)₃Zr(CO₃)₆·3H₂O – Canadian geologist Sir William Edmond Logan (1798-1875)
• Whewellite CaC₂O₄·H₂O; English mineralogist William Whewell (1794-1866)
• Whitlockite Ca₃(PO₄)₂ – American mineralogist Herbert Percy Whitlock (1868-1948)
• Willemite Zn₂SiO₄ – King William I of the Netherlands (1772-1843)
• Witherite BaCO₃ – English physician and naturalist William Withering (1741-1799)
• Wollastonite CaSiO₃ – English chemist and mineralogist William Hyde Wollaston (1766-1828)
• Wulfenite PbMoO₄ – Austrian mineralogist Franz Xavier von Wulfen (1728-1805)

Z

• Zaccagnaite Zn₄Al₂CO₃(OH)₁₂.3H₂O – Italian mineral collector Domenico Zaccagna
• Zaherite Al₁₂(OH)₂₆(SO₄)₅.20H₂O – Bangladeshi geologist Mohamed Abduz Zaher
• Zajacite Na(REE_xCa_1-x)(REE_yCa_1-y)F₆ – Explorer Dr. I. S. Zajac
• Zakharovite Na₄Mn₅Si₁₀O₂₀(OH)₆.6H₂O – Director of the Moscow Institute of Geological Exploration EE Zakharov
• Zanazziite Ca₂(MgFe)(MgFeMnAl)₄Be(OH)₄(PO₄)₆.6H₂O – Italian Professor PF Zanazzi
• Zaratite Ni₃CO₃(OH)₄·4H₂O – Spanish diplomat and dramatist Antonio Gil y Zárate (1793-1861)
• Zhanghengite – ancient Chinese astronomer Zhang Heng (78-139)
• Zhemchuzhnikovite NaMg(FeAl)C₂O₄.8H₂O – Russian clay mineralogist Yury Zhemchuzhnikov
• Ziesite βCu₂V₂O₇ – mineralogist Emmanuel G. Zies
• Zoisite Ca₂(Al.OH)Al₂(SiO₄)₃ – Slovene scientist Baron Sigmund Zois von Edelstein (aka Žiga Zois) (1747-1819)

See also

• Geology
• Mineralogy
• Mineraloid
• Nonmineral
• List of chemical element name etymologies
• Lists of etymologies
• List of minerals (complete)
• List of minerals Short list emphasizing those with Wikipedia articles.
• Lists of people
• List of rock types
• Rock

Notes

References

• mindat.org The Mineral Database
• Minerals Named After People and Places
• American Mineraligist- New Mineral Names 1979