General Monthly Meeting
In the Lap of the Gods - The Accreditation of New Minerals
Professor Peter Leverett,
School of Science, University of Western Sydney
Date: Wednesday, 3rd July, 2002
Time: 6:00 for 6:30 pm
Venue: Search & Discover Room, Australian Museum,
Collins St., Sydney (William St. entrance)
Each year the International Mineralogical Association's Commission on New Minerals & Mineral Names (IMA-CNMMN) receives approximately a hundred submissions regarding new minerals, and of these about 80% result in the accreditation of a new named species. During the past few years the Minerals & Materials Group at the University of Western Sydney has, as part of its continuing investigation of a wide range of secondary minerals in oxidized zones of base metal ore deposits, been involved in three submissions, two of which have been accepted (2001 hoganite and paceite, both copper acetates). "Chillagite" (2000) was not accepted although it is a structural variant of wulfenite, PbMoO4. Other submissions (2002) involving two base metal phosphates and a tungstic acid are being prepared. Just what does constitute a new mineral species is not simple. Various arguments concerning inorganic versus organic origin, crystallographic structure and chemical composition may be advanced. Grey areas remain in mineral nomenclature and some of these are quite controversial. The lecture will examine these points by reference to some recently described new minerals and related species. The comprehensive range of information demanded by the CNMMN for the accreditation of new species will be discussed, together with the reasons that lie behind the rejection of some naturally occurring compounds as distinct mineral species.
Peter Leverett graduated in Geology and Chemistry (Honours) from the University of Tasmania and went on to complete a PhD at Monash University in 1969, studying the crystal chemistry of mixed metal oxides by X-ray analysis. Following a three year post-doctoral Senior Teaching Fellowship at Monash, he held academic positions in Chemistry at Caulfield Institute of Technology (Lecturer 1973-74) and UTS (then NSWIT; Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Principal Lecturer 1975-83). In 1982 he became associated with the then Nepean CAE in order to develop new degree programs in Applied Science and Engineering. He was appointed Foundation Director of Applied Science at Nepean in 1984, Foundation Dean of Science and Technology in 1987 and then Dean of the Faculty (and Professor) in 1989 following the establishment of UWS Nepean as part of the new University of Western Sydney. He relinquished the Deanship in 1992 to return to full-time teaching and research and to head the Department of Chemistry (1993-96). He is presently Professor in Chemistry within the recently established School of Science, Food & Horticulture at the Parramatta campus of UWS and is an active member of the School's Minerals & Materials Group. His current research interests include the crystal chemistry of supergene minerals and structural studies of ordering phenomena in solid solutions, structural determination of novel chiral auxiliaries for the enantiospecific synthesis and resolution of amino acids and other synthetic intermediates, and trace metal and micro sample analysis by TXRF spectroscopy.
Report on the General Monthly Meeting
by David Craddock
The July Meeting of the Royal Society of New South Wales was addressed by Professor Peter Leverett, School of Science, University of Western Sydney, on "In the Lap of the Gods - the Accreditation of New Minerals:". The talk was attended by only a few hardy souls, who ventured out on a rather cool Sydney evening. The topic, however was enthusiastically presented and well received. Having been involved with some of the accreditation processes for management systems, your correspondent was surprised by some of the aspects of mineral accreditation. Surely such a scientific matter would be black and white in terms of definition and thus of acceptance of a new mineral. The decision on whether a proposed new mineral is accepted as such, or not, is determined by a vote at the International Mineralogical Association. As well as various technical issues that are required for submission with a proposal for a new mineral, was the potential for argument over the suggested name. Such was not the case in the successful proposal of 2 new minerals in 2001: paceite and hoganite. They were discovered in very close proximity to Broken Hill and enabled 2 well-known mineral collectors to be each, separately honoured through the names of these minerals. Such has been the popularity of those new names, that the mineral names have become each collector's 'nick' name. Professor Leverett had just returned from Broken Hill and proudly displayed the previous Saturday's front page news in the Barrier Daily Truth, showing Messrs Pace and Hogan, after whom paceite and hoganite were named. Besides the natural beauty of these minerals, one of the most interesting 'facets' of their existence was their derivation from organic matter. Professor Leverett had emphasized the official definition of a mineral, which included "...inorganically formed". Here, however, were two minerals, which were apparently formed from decomposing leaf matter!
Professor Leverett also described another proposed new mineral, which cannot yet be named as the process is in progress. It certainly appeared to your correspondent that it should be a new mineral, but that will still need to go to a vote. The President thanked the speaker for a most interesting talk.