Названия минералов: что они означают. Очень известная книга американского писателя.Mineral Names What Do They Mean?Richard Scott MitchellThe first comprehensive study of the subject since 1896, this authoritative reference work investigates the origins of over 2,600 mineral names. It draws on a wealth of historical and scientific data which have influenced the assignment of names to each mineral. In¬corporating names derived over many centuries, it provides discussion of signifi¬cant obsolete names as well as a consideration of all modern names. Brief biographical data are provided for minerals named after a person.The derivations of mineral names are diverse. Some are based on the mineral's own char¬acteristics. Many derivations use personal names of well-known figures—those of European and American mineralogists, other scientists, mineral collectors, explorers, and various professionals. Geographical features such as mountains, rivers, and islands pro¬vide the names of over 500 minerals. Other minerals derive their names from impersonal sources—objects they resemble or concepts they commemorate. All of these derivations are investigated here.The author demonstrates the use of hybrid words, Greek terms and Latins words, and shows how they are used to describe the physical and chemical properties of a given mineral. He illustrates how various lan¬guages—Old English, German, Russian, Arabic and others— contributed to the names of well-known minerals such as quartz, feldspar, muscovite, hornblende, gold and more. Common suffixes like -ite and -lite are ex¬amined along with less common suffixes. The author also presents guidelines for the formulation of names for newly discovered minerals.The 2,600 mineral names, with their deriva¬tions, are presented in alphabetical order. If a mineral is named after a person, the author gives where possible the person's date of birth and death, country of origin, and field of interest. Appendices include a list of the few names whose derivations are unknown, a list of persons whose names have been used but are not obvious in mineral names, a glossary and a general bibliography.Mineral Names: What Do They Mean? will provide a continual source of help and infor¬mation for mineral and gem collectors, lapidaries, mineralogists, geologists, geologi¬cal engineers, and mining engineers.
