Recently discovered minerals
The Mineralogical Museum is the only depository (storage place) in Poland for the first specimens of new minerals discovered in Poland. These are the so-called holotypes and cotypes. In recent years, several new minerals have been found. They are approved by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA), specifically by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC IMA.) The places where they were discovered are called “type locality”.
SZKLARY
The new minerals were discovered in pegmatite at the site of the former Marta nickel mine in Szklary.
Nioboholtyte – (Nb₀.₆ ₀.₄)AI₆BSI₃O₁₈ (Pieczka, Evans, Grew, Groat, Ma, Rossman, 2012) MA No. 2012-068; holotype – MMWr IV-7615
Tytanoholtyt – (Ti₀.₇₅ ₀.₂₅)AI₆BSi₃O₁₈ (Pleczka, Evans, Grew, Groat, Ma, Rossman, 2012) IMA No. 2012-069; holotype – MMWr IV-7617
Szklaryite – AI₆BAs³⁺₃O₁₅ (Pieczka, Evans, Grew, Groat, Ma, Rossman, 2012) IMA No. 2012-070; holotype – MMWr-7615
PIŁAWA GÓRNA
Minerals were found in the pegmatites of the migmatite and amphibolite quarry.
Pilawite-(Y) – Ca₂Y₂AI₄ (SiO₄)O₂(OH)₂ (Pieczka, Hawthorne, Cooper, Szełęg, Szuszkiewicz, Turniak, Nejbert and Ilnicki, 2013) IMA No. 2013-125; holotype – MMWr IV-7676
Żabińskit – Ca[Al₀.₅(Ta,Nb)₀.₅](SiO₄)O (Pieczka, Hawthorne, Ma, Rossman, Buffat, Rutkowski, Szełęg, Szuszkiewicz, Turniak, Nejbert and Ilnicki, 2015) IMA No.2015-033; holotype – MMWr IV-7675
MORASKO
The minerals were discovered during studies of silicate inclusions in the Morasko meteorites.
Moraskoite – Na₂Mg(PO₄)F (Karwowski, Kusz, Muszyński, Kryza, Sitarz, Galuskin, 2013) IMA No. 2013-084; holotype – MMWr IV-7766
Czochralskit – Na₄Ca₃Mg(PO₄)₄ (Karwowski, Kryza, Muszyński, Kusz, Helios, Drożdzewski, Galuskin, 2015) IMA No. 2015-011; holotype – MMWr IV-7870
MICHAŁKOWA
The mineral was discovered in a pegmatite, from which also comes the oldest holotype in the collection – a sarcopsid (Websky, 1868). It is also on display in our museum.
Maneckiite – (Na)Ca₂Fe²⁺₂ (Fe³⁺Mg)Mn₂(PO₄)₆ 2H₂O (Pieczka, Hawthorne, Golebiowska, Włodek, 2015) IMA No. 2015-056; holotype – MMWr IV-7674
NAMES OF NEW MINERALS
Researchers (discoverers) have the privilege of naming the new minerals they have discovered. New Polish minerals owe their names to the places where they were discovered (glasarite, piławite, moraskoite) or have been honoured by eminent Polish scientists.
Jan Czochralski (1885-1953) was a Polish chemist, metal scientist, and inventor of a method of obtaining monocrystals (later called the Czochralski method), which is the basis for the production of microprocessors and which is still widely used today.
Witold Żabiński (1929-2007) was one of the most eminent Polish mineralogists. Founder of the Polish Mineralogical Society. Secretary of the Committee of Mineralogical Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Publisher of Mineralogia Polonica.
Andrzej Manecki (born in 1933) is an eminent Polish mineralogist. Secretary of the Department of Mineralogy, Petrography and Geochemistry, Secretary of the Committee of Mineralogical Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences. One of the founders of the Polish Mineralogical Society. Polish representative in the Committee on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification of the IMA.
Compiled by Jacek Bogdański
