Mineral names applied to synthetic substances

Abstract

GUIDELINES on mineral nomenclature published by the Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names (CNMMN) of the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Mineralogical Association (Nickel and Mandarino, 1988) include the following statement: "If an artificial substance has been given a name, and a mineral corresponding to that substance is subsequently discovered, the name given to the artificial substance does not necessarily have to be applied to the mineral". However, when the artificial substance corresponds to an exisiting mineral, it is commonly referred to by the name of its mineralogical analogue. Ideally, mineral names should be given only to naturally-occurring substances formed by geological processes, yet it is recognized that a mineral name is a convenient short-hand way of referring to a synthetic substance that corresponds to a particular mineral. Following requests from editors of several major mineralogical journals for guidance in the editorial treatment of manuscripts containing such names, members of the CNMMN have discussed this question with a view to making recommendations acceptable to the mineralogical community.