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.

Sorted by name:

A

• Abswurmbachite ((Cu,Mn²⁺)Mn³⁺₆O₈SiO₄) – German mineralogist Irmgard Abs-Wurmbach
• Adamite Zn₂AsO₄OH – French mineralogist Gilbert Joseph Adam (1795–1881)
• Aheylite ((Fe²⁺, Zn)Al₆[(OH)₄|(PO₄)₂]₂·4H₂O) – American geologist Allen V. Heyl
• Alexandrite (variety of Chrysoberyl) – Tsar Alexander II of Russia (1818–1881)
• Alforsite Ba₅Cl(PO₄)₃ – American geologist John T. Alfors (1930–2005)
• Allabogdanite (Fe,Ni)₂P – Alla Bogdanova, Geological Institute, Kola Science Centre of Russian Academy of Sciences
• Ankerite Ca(Fe,Mg,Mn)(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,Fe²⁺)Ti₂O₅ – American astronauts ARM Neil Armstrong, AL Buzz Aldrin and COL Michael Collins
• Armbrusterite – Swiss crystallographer Thomas Armbruster (born 1950)
• Arthurite CuFe₂³⁺[(OH,O)|(AsO₄,PO₄,SO₄)]₂·4H₂O – British mineralogists Sir Sir Arthur Edward Ian Montagu Russell, 6th Baronet and Arthur W. G. Kingsbury

B

• Baddeleyite ZrO₂ – Joseph Baddeley
• Bazzite Be₃(Sc,Fe)₂Si₆O₁₈ – Italian engineer Alessandro E. Bazzi
• Berthierite ((Fe,Sb)₂₌S₄); French geologist and mining engineer Pierre Berthier (1782–1861)
• Bertrandite Be₄Si₂O₇(OH)₂ – French mineralogist Emile Bertrand (1844–1909)
• Bilibinskite Au₂Cu₂PbTe₂₊ – Soviet geologist Yuri A. Bilibin (1901–1952)
• Bixbite Be₃(AlMn)₂Si₆O₁₈ – American mineralogist Maynard Bixby; deprecated to red beryl to avoid confusion with bixbyite
• 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
• Bornite Cu₅FeS₄ – Austrian Mineralogist Ignaz von Born (1742–1791)
• Bournonite PbCuSbS₃ – French crystallographer and mineralogist Jacques Louis de Bournon (1751–1825)
• Braggite (Pt,Pd,Ni)S – the first mineral characterized by X-ray analysis. William Henry Bragg (1862–1942) and his son, William Lawrence Bragg (1890–1971)
• 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).
• Burtite CaSn(OH)₆ – American mining geologist Donald McLain Burt (born 1943)

C

• Canfieldite Ag₈SnS₆ – American mining engineer Frederick Alexander Canfield (1849–1926)
• Cannonite Bi₂(OH)₂SO₄ – American mineralogist and electron microprobe analyst Benjamin Bartlett (Bart) Cannon
• Carlosruizite K₆(Na,K)₁₀Mg₁₀(Se6+O₄,SO₄,CrO₄)₁₂(IO₃)₁₂ •12H₂O – Chilean geologist founder of the Chilean Geological Survey Carlos Ruiz Fuller (1916-1997)
• Carnallite KMgCl₃•6(H₂O) – Prussian mining engineer, Rudolf 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
• Chrisstanleyite Ag₂Pd₃Se₄ – British mineralogist Christopher John Stanley
• 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 – South African metallurgist Richard A. Cooper (1890–1972)
• Cordierite (Mg,Fe)₂Al₄Si₅O₁₈ to (Fe,Mg)₂Al₄Si₅O₁₈ – French geologist P. L. A. Cordier (1777–1861)
• Covellite CuS – Niccola Covelli (1790–1829)
• Crookesite Cu₇(Tl,Ag)Se₄ – English chemist and physicist Sir William Crookes (1832–1919)

D

Dollaseite (red arrows)

• Danalite – American geologist, mineralogist and zoologist James Dwight Dana (1813–1895)
• Dawsonite NaAlCO₃(OH)₂ – Canadian geologist Sir John William Dawson (1820–1899)
• Deanesmithite Hg⁺₂Hg²⁺₃Cr⁶⁺O₅S₂ – Deane K. Smith (1930–2001) Professor of Geosciences, Penn State University
• Delafossite CuFeO₂ – French mineralogist Gabriel Delafosse (1796–1878)
• Dickite Al₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄ – Scottish metallurgical chemist Allan Brugh Dick (1833–1926)
• Dollaseite-(Ce) CaCeMg₂AlSi₃O₁₁F(OH) – American geologist Wayne A. Dollase (born 1938), geology professor at UCLA
• Dolomite CaMg(CO₃)₂ – French naturalist and geologist Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu (1750–1801)
• 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)

E

• Ernienickelite – Canadian-Australian mineralogist Ernest (Ernie) H. Nickel (1925–2009)

F

• Ferberite FeWO₄ – German amateur mineralogist 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

Garnierite

• 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 mineralogist George Gibbs (1776–1833)
• Gilsonite (Hydrocarbon resin) – American Samuel H Gilson
• Goethite FeOOH – German polymath Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832)
• Grunerite Fe₇Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂ – Swiss-French chemist Louis Gruner
• Gunterite Na₄(H₂O)16(H₂V₁₀O₂₈)•6H₂O – American mineralogist Mickey Gunter
• Gunningite (Zn,Mn²⁺)SO₄•H₂O – Canadian geologist and academic Henry C. Gunning (1901–1991)

H

• Haggertyite Ba(Fe²⁺₆Ti₅Mg)O₁₉ – Stephen E. Haggerty (born 1938)
• Hapkeite Fe₂Si – American planetary scientist Bruce Hapke
• Hawleyite CdS – Canadian mineralogist James Edwin Hawley (1897–1965)
• Heulandite (Ca,Na)_2-3Al₃(Al,Si)₂Si₁₃O₃₆·12H₂O – English mineral collector Henry Heuland (1778–1856)
• Hiddenite – American geologist William Earl Hidden (1853–1918).
• Howardite – British chemist Edward Charles Howard (1774–1816)
• Howlite Ca₂B₅SiO₉(OH)₅ – Canadian chemist, mineralogist Henry How (1828–1879)
• Hübnerite MnWO₄ – German mineralologist Adolf Huebner
• Hutchinsonite (Tl,Pb)₂As₅S₉ – Cambridge mineralogist Arthur Hutchinson (1866–1937)
• Huttonite ThSiO₄ – New Zealand American mineralogist Colin Osborne Hutton (1910–1971)

J

• Jarosewichite Mn²⁺₃Mn³⁺(AsO₄)(OH)₆ – American chemist Eugene Jarosewich
• Jimthompsonite (Mg,Fe)₅Si₆O₁₆(OH)₂ – American mineralogist James B. Thompson Jr.
• Johnbaumite (Ca)₅(AsO₄)₃(OH) [1] [2] – American geologist and mineralogist John L. Baum [3]

K

• Kassite CaTi₂O₄(OH)₂ – Russian geologist Nikolai Grigor’evich Kassin (1885–1949)
• Kieserite (MgSO₄•H₂O) – Dietrich Georg von Kieser (1779–1862)
• Kleberite FeTi₆O₁₃•4H₂O – 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
• Kostovite AuCuTe₄ – Bulgarian mineralogist Ivan Kostov (1913-2004)
• 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)
• Kunzite – American mineralogist George Frederick Kunz (1856–1932).

L

• Livingstonite HgSb₄S₈ – Scottish explorer in Africa David Livingstone (1813–1873)
• Lonsdaleite – British crystallographer Kathleen Lonsdale (1903–1971)
• Lorandite TlAsS₂ – Hungarian physicist Loránd Eötvös (1848–1919)
• Lukechangite-(Ce) Na₃Ce₂(CO₃)₄F – American mineralogist Luke L. Y. Chang (1934-2009)

M

• Maricite NaFePO₄ – Yugoslavian mineralogist Luba Maric
• Mckelveyite-(Y) 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 Henri Moissan (1852–1907)
• Morganite – American financier J. P. Morgan (1837–1913)
• Murdochite PbCu₆O_8-x(Cl,Br)_2x – American mineralogist Joseph Murdock (1890–1973)

P

• Partheite Ca₂Al₄Si₄O₁₅(OH)₂·4(H₂O) – Swiss crystallographer Erwin Parthé (1928–2006)
• Paulscherrerite – Swiss physicist Paul Scherrer (1890–1969)
• Penikisite BaMg₂Al₂(PO₄)₃(OH)₃ – Canadian explorer Gunar Penikis (1936–1979)
• Perhamite Ca₃Al₇(SiO₄)₃(PO₄)₄(OH)₃·16.5(H₂O) – American geologist and pegmatite miner Frank C. Perham (born 1934)
• 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 – French chemist Joseph Louis Proust (1754–1826)

R

• Rambergite MnS – mineralogist Hans Ramberg
• Riebeckite Na₂(Fe,Mg)₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂ – German explorer Emil Riebeck (1853–1885)
• Rossmanite (LiAl₂)Al₆Si₆O₁₈(BO₃)₃(OH)₄ – Caltech mineralogist George Rossman
• Russellite (BiO2)[WO4] – British mineralologist Sir Arthur Russell, 6th Baronet

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 (Fe⁺⁺,Mg)₂(PO₄)(OH) – Canadian geologist Jack Satterly (born 1906)
• Schreibersite (Fe,Ni)₃P – Austrian naturalist Carl Franz Anton Ritter von Schreibers (1775–1852)
• Sekaninaite ((Fe⁺²,Mg)₂Al₄Si₅O₁₈) – Czech mineralogist Josef Sekanina (born 1901)
• 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 (born 1923)
• Stephanite Ag₅SbS₄ – Archduke Stephan of Austria
• Stichtite Mg₆Cr₂CO₃(OH)₁₆.4H₂O – Australian mine manager Robert Carl Sticht (1857–1922)
• Stilleite ZnSe – German geologist Hans Stille (1876–1966)
• Stolzite PbWO₄ – Czechoslovakian Joseph Alexi Stolz (1803–1896)
• Strashimirite Cu₈(AsO₄)₄(OH)₄·5(H₂O) – Bulgarian petrographer and mineralogist Strashimir Dimitrov (1892-1960)
• Stromeyerite AgCuS – German chemist, Friedrich Stromeyer (1776–1835)
• Strunzite – German mineralogist Karl Hugo Strunz (1910–2006)
• 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 Torbern Bergman (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)
• Warikahnite Zn₃(AsO₄)₂•2H₂O – German dealer and collector of minerals Walter Richard Kahn (born 1911)
• 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 – Russian Director of the Moscow Institute of Geological Exploration Evgeii Evgen'evich Zakharov (1902–1980)
• 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)
• Zektzerite – American mathematician and mineral collector Jack Zektzer (born 1936).
• Zhanghengite – ancient Chinese astronomer Zhang Heng (78-139)
• Zhemchuzhnikovite NaMg(FeAl)C₂O₄.8H₂O – Russian clay mineralogist Yury Zhemchuzhnikov
• Ziesite βCu₂V₂O₇ – mineralogist Emmanuel G. Zies
• Zinkenite Pb₉Sb₂₂S₄₂ – German mineralogist and mining geologist, J. K. L. Zincken (1790–1862).
• Zippeite (UO₂)₆(SO₄)₃(OH)₁₀·4(H₂O) – Austrian mineralogist Franz Xaver Maximilian Zippe.
• Zirkelite: (Ca, Th, Ce)Zr(Ti, Nb)₂O₇ – German petrographer Ferdinand Zirkel (1838–1912)
• Zoisite Ca₂(Al.OH)Al₂(SiO₄)₃ – Slovene scientist Baron Sigmund Zois von Edelstein (aka Žiga Zois) (1747–1819)
• Zussmanite K(Fe++,Mg,Mn)₁₃[AlSi₁₇O₄₂](OH)₁₄ – British geologist Jack Zussman
• Zykaite – Czech geochemist Dr. Vacklav Zyka.

See also

• Mineralogy
• Mineraloid
• List of minerals (complete)
• List of minerals Short list emphasizing those with Wikipedia articles.

References

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