New mineral discoveries

Worldwide, approximately 100 new formerly unknown minerals are discovered per year. Prior to receive scientific approval - by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC) of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA) - for a new discovery the mineral in question has to be examined according to a checklist provided by this committee. This includes testing for specific chemical and physical properties as well as the identification of the crystal structure. Once scientific approval is given the description of the new mineral has to be published in an acknowledged scientific journal.

For the approval of a new mineral by the CNMNC a postive 2/3 vote of the commission members is necessary. The new mineral and its new name proposed by the author are voted on separately.

More recently several new minerals have been discovered and published by the Mineralogical Museum, predominantly from Namibia, Chile and Norway.

Overview new mineral discoveries

The shown pictures provide you with an overview of minerals discovered by our museum. By clicking on the pictures you will get detailed information.