25.5 Outline of Mineralogy
Attempts had been made to classify minerals since the days of ancient Greece [13,
14]. The early systems of classification were based on physical properties such as
colour, shape and texture. Since the days of Aristotle, nature was divided into three
kingdoms: animals, plants and minerals. Thus, Linnaeus attempted to classify also
the mineral kingdom in his Systema naturae in 1735. While Linnaeus system of
classifying plants was very successful, he was less successful in classifying minerals, as he took the extreme position that only crystal form should be used for
classification [14]. This was logical for Linnaeus, as he had classified the plants
based on their anatomy rather than chemical composition. Wallerius published his
book Mineralogia, eller mineral-riket, indelt och beskrifvit (Mineralogy, or the
Mineral kingdom divided and described) in 1747, 3 years before becoming professor of chemistry in Uppsala. His book was soon translated into German and
French and was his main qualification for the professorship. Wallerius put more
emphasis on chemistry in his system. He divided minerals into four classes: earths,
stones, ores and fossils. Each class was then divided into sections, which were
further divided into subsections. For instance, the first section among the stones was
limes, which was divided into limestone, marble, gypsum and spar. Under each
subsection, several different minerals were listed.
The first true chemical classification of minerals was also provided by a Swedish
mineralogist, Axel Fredrik Cronstedt. He published anonymously his Försök til
Mineralogie (Attempt to Mineralogy) in 1758. Cronstedt’s book was translated to
German and English, and a second posthumous edition in Swedish with comments
appeared in 1781. Cronstedt divided minerals into four classes: earths, salts, earth
fats and metals. Each class was divided into sections and subsections. For example,
the earths were divided into limes, silicas, garnets, clays, micas, fluxes, asbestoses,
zeolites and “brownstones” (manganese(IV) oxide). The class of earth fats included
combustible materials, e.g. amber, petroleum and sulphur. Despite Bergman’s and
other’s attempts, it would take until the nineteenth century until the chemical
classification system of minerals was universally accepted [15].
In 1782, Bergman published his Sciagraphia Regni Mineralis (Outline of the
Mineral Kingdom), where he attempted to correct some mistakes by Cronstedt. The
book was originally published by J. J. Ferber in Leipzig and Dessau but was
re-issued three times the following year: in London, Florence; and again in Leipzig
and Dessau. The third version is possibly a pirate edition [16]. The book was
translated to German in 1782 and 1787, English in 1783, French in 1784 and 1792
and Portuguese in 1799–1800.
Bergman rejected the idea of classifying minerals based on physical properties:
“Colour varies exceedingly, as does also the size of bodies. We cannot sufficiently
wonder at the violence done to nature by the studied separation of earths from
stones. The consequence is, that a stone of a certain size must constitute one genus,
whilst the same thing, reduced to powder, must be placed under another genus,
which shall not be found even in the same class” [17]. Bergman only accepted the
346
25 Bergman’s Contributions to Mineralogy
Attempts had been made to classify minerals since the days of ancient Greece [13,
14]. The early systems of classification were based on physical properties such as
colour, shape and texture. Since the days of Aristotle, nature was divided into three
kingdoms: animals, plants and minerals. Thus, Linnaeus attempted to classify also
the mineral kingdom in his Systema naturae in 1735. While Linnaeus system of
classifying plants was very successful, he was less successful in classifying minerals, as he took the extreme position that only crystal form should be used for
classification [14]. This was logical for Linnaeus, as he had classified the plants
based on their anatomy rather than chemical composition. Wallerius published his
book Mineralogia, eller mineral-riket, indelt och beskrifvit (Mineralogy, or the
Mineral kingdom divided and described) in 1747, 3 years before becoming professor of chemistry in Uppsala. His book was soon translated into German and
French and was his main qualification for the professorship. Wallerius put more
emphasis on chemistry in his system. He divided minerals into four classes: earths,
stones, ores and fossils. Each class was then divided into sections, which were
further divided into subsections. For instance, the first section among the stones was
limes, which was divided into limestone, marble, gypsum and spar. Under each
subsection, several different minerals were listed.
The first true chemical classification of minerals was also provided by a Swedish
mineralogist, Axel Fredrik Cronstedt. He published anonymously his Försök til
Mineralogie (Attempt to Mineralogy) in 1758. Cronstedt’s book was translated to
German and English, and a second posthumous edition in Swedish with comments
appeared in 1781. Cronstedt divided minerals into four classes: earths, salts, earth
fats and metals. Each class was divided into sections and subsections. For example,
the earths were divided into limes, silicas, garnets, clays, micas, fluxes, asbestoses,
zeolites and “brownstones” (manganese(IV) oxide). The class of earth fats included
combustible materials, e.g. amber, petroleum and sulphur. Despite Bergman’s and
other’s attempts, it would take until the nineteenth century until the chemical
classification system of minerals was universally accepted [15].
In 1782, Bergman published his Sciagraphia Regni Mineralis (Outline of the
Mineral Kingdom), where he attempted to correct some mistakes by Cronstedt. The
book was originally published by J. J. Ferber in Leipzig and Dessau but was
re-issued three times the following year: in London, Florence; and again in Leipzig
and Dessau. The third version is possibly a pirate edition [16]. The book was
translated to German in 1782 and 1787, English in 1783, French in 1784 and 1792
and Portuguese in 1799–1800.
Bergman rejected the idea of classifying minerals based on physical properties:
“Colour varies exceedingly, as does also the size of bodies. We cannot sufficiently
wonder at the violence done to nature by the studied separation of earths from
stones. The consequence is, that a stone of a certain size must constitute one genus,
whilst the same thing, reduced to powder, must be placed under another genus,
which shall not be found even in the same class” [17]. Bergman only accepted the
346
25 Bergman’s Contributions to Mineralogy