Journal of the Czech Geological Society, 42/4 (1997) 115 History of secondary minerals discovered in Jáchymov (Joachimsthal) Historie objevů sekundárních minerálů z Jáchymova (Czech summary) FRANTIŠEK VESELOVSKÝ1 - PETR ONDRUŠ1 - JAN HLOUŠEK2 1 Czech Geological Survey, Klárov 3, 118 21 Prague 1 2 U Roháčových kasáren 24, 110 00 Prague 10 Jáchymov is type locality for 22 minerals, including 17 secondary minerals. Data on history of discovery and description of new minerals was extracted by search in old literature. Minerals are arranged in the chronological sequence of discovery. Explanation of names of discredited or re-defined minerals and some historical names is included at the end of this paper. Key words: secondary minerals, history description, old mineral names, Jáchymov Introduction This work was continued a decade later by Schrauf. Larsen extensively studied the optical properties of Mining in Jáchymov experienced episodes of boom as Jáchymov minerals at the beginning of the twentieth well as periods of severe decline. Its prosperity was de- century.R. Nováček (1935-1941) studied in detail mainly pendent of mineral wealth and during ages the main secondary minerals from Jáchymov. X-ray diffraction, interest moved from silver to uranium ores. Mineralogy, widely introduced after 1945, provided a new powerful mining and ore dressing proved to be often mutually method of mineral identification. Frondel and Peacock interdependent. The beginnings of mineralogy in Jáchy- continued study of Jáchymov minerals. But only mu- mov date to mining development in early 16th century. seum specimens were available by that time. The first mineralogical notes appear in texts by Agricola The secrecy surrounding uranium mining in the pe- [86], Mathesius, Ercker, and others. riod 1945-1960 resulted in absence of detailed minera- The first scientific information on minerals and rocks logical study of material mined at that time and in ab- from Jáchymov was presented in 1772, 1775, and 1790 sence of study material. The mining district was declared by Born [181], [197] who described 207 specimens. as exhausted by 1960 and all the mines were closed in Born used traditional mineralogical terminology by 1964. Owing to shortage of funding and time, a system- Linné and Cronstedt but in his third monograph he used atic study of secondary minerals was never undertaken. chemical system introduced by Lavoisier and crystallo- Following table shows how the numbers of Jáchy- graphic terminology of Romé de l'Isle. Kratochvíl [118] mov minerals recognised were increasing during the last transferred descriptions by Born in terms of modern two centuries: mineralogy and concluded that Born described secon- minerals dary minerals, which were later introduced as uranopilite secondary primary rock form- total and and cuprosklodowskite. Haubelt [182] undertook a simi- gangue ing lar interpretation but concluded that Born did not de- beginning of the 19th 2 15 1 18 scribe the two mentioned uranium minerals. He sug- century [189] gested that Born [181] described gypsum and earthy 1842 Zippe [189] 11 23 1 35 Ag2S, Haubelt [182] also suggested that annabergite, 1856 Vogl [189] 40 33 10 83 arsenolite, bismite, erythrite, pyrolusite, and zippeite can 1927 Ježek [189] 53 43 11 107 be recognised among the minerals described by Born 1950 Kratochvíl [118] 64 58 28 150 [197]. 1965 Tuček [141] 65 62 29 157 Similar to Born, other old descriptions of Jáchymov specimens deal mainly with primary ore minerals. During the period 1842 to 1856, mainly J. F. Vogl de- 1997 this study 207 73 44 310* * plus 30 unnamed phases (see another paper) scribed over 30 mineral species from Jáchymov. By that time the Jáchymov minerals were studied by Haidinger, Despite of all the adverse developments, the Jáchy- including seven new minerals, which are at present con- mov mining district is of world-wide renowned. The sidered as valid species. Tschermak published a number following table lists 22 minerals for which Jáchymov is of papers on Jáchymov minerals in the years 1860-1870. the type locality. 116 Journal of the Czech Geological Society, 42/4 (1997) Minerals for which Jáchymov is the type locality mineral chemical formula author Uraninite UO2 Brückmann (1727) Torbernite * Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 . 8 - 12 H2O Werner (1793) Sternbergite AgFe2S3 Haidinger (1827) Haidingerite * CaH(AsO4) . H2O Turner (1827) Johannite * Cu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 . 8H2O Haidinger (1830) Bornite Cu5FeS4 Haidinger (1845) Zippeite * K4(UO2)6(SO4)3(OH)10 . 4H2O Haidinger (1845) Voglite * Ca2Cu(UO2)(CO3)4 . 6H2O Haidinger (1853) Lindackerite * H2Cu5(AsO4)4 . 8-9H2O Vogl (1853) Uranopilite * (UO2)6(SO4)(OH)10 . 12H2O Dauber (1854) Akanthite * Ag2S Kenngott (1855) Argentopyrite AgFe2S3 Waltershausen (1866) Isoklasite * Ca2(PO4)(OH) . 2H2O Sandberger (1870) Schröckingerite * NaCa3(UO2)(CO3)3(SO4)F . 10H2O Schrauf (1873) Mixite * BiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6 . 3H2O Schrauf (1879) Uranophane-beta * Ca(UO2)SiO3(OH)2 . 5H2O Nováček (1935) Metauranopilite * (UO2)6(SO4)(OH)10 . 5H2O Nováček (1935) Brassite * MgHAsO4 . 4H2O Fontan et al. (1973) Nickel-zippeite * Ni2(UO2)6(SO4)3(OH)10 .16 H2O Frondel et al. (1976) Krutovite NiAs2 Vinogradova et al. (1976) Albrechtschraufite * Ca4Mg(UO2)2(CO3)6F2 . 17H2O Mereiter (1984) Jáchymovite * (UO2)8(SO4)(OH)14 . 13H2O Čejka et al. (1996 ) Seventeen phases among the 22 minerals listed, i.e., 77%, are secondary minerals, marked by an asterix "*" The present study of old literature on secondary min- mineral nomenclature. In the past century, many imprac- erals from Jáchymov provided often fragmentary pieces tical and unsuitable names were in usage. When Werner of information which gradually evolved to an integrated introduced torbernite, he was opposed for naming a min- picture of the history of individual type specimens and eral after a person. In support of his suggestion, Werner their description. This history includes various interest- quoted two examples from the history of mineralogy. ing aspects which gave impetus to writing this chapter. Obsidian was introduced by Plinius to honour Obsidius The following text reviews the secondary minerals who brought the specimen from Ethiopia; witherite was for which Jáchymov is the type locality. The mineralo- named after Dr. Withering, who discovered the mineral gist's name given next to mineral name is widely consid- [216]. It was a second case only after prehnite (to honour ered as the name of author of the original mineral de- Colonel von Prehne). The present authors do not want to scription. However, more than a century ago, the practice diminish the Haidingers contributions to mineralogy - of introducing new minerals was often different from the the aim was to point the complicated history of some present procedures and somewhat complicated in some minerals recognised in Jáchymov and the history of sci- cases. On several instances, these mineralogists were ence. rather authors of the name, than authors of the original mineral description. For example, Haidinger only de- Torbernite - Werner 1793 scribed crystal morphology of a mineral, which he named johannite, while a qualitative chemical analysis of The first description of the green micaceous mineral was the mineral named Uranvitriol was published by John in probably by I. Born in 1772, who coined the name mica 1821 and 1845. Websky is considered as author of ura- viridis crist. [181]. It is not clear which mineral he nophane (from Silesia), though he reported a qualitative named as green mica, but it is certain that the mineral analysis only in 1859, while a complete description of originated from Jáchymov. In absence of green rock- the mineral (from Wölsendorf) was provided by Bořický, forming micas in the district, it is very probable that it who coined the name uranotile for this species. Nováček was a uranium mica. is considered as the author of uranophane-beta, though Green micaceous mineral is again mentioned in the he described the phase under the name β-uranotile. An Werner's translation (1780) of the mineralogy textbook extreme case is represented by the mineral voglite. It was by Cronstedt. Werner described rare green mica from the completely described by Vogl under the name Uran- mine Georg Wagsfort in Johanngeorgenstadt and from Kalk-Kupfer-Carbonat; though Haidinger only intro- Eibenstock and classified it as a subspecies besides light duced the name voglite for this mineral, he is considered mica (muscovite), dark mica (biotite) and common mica as author of the mineral description. (zinnwaldite) [320]. Werner inferred that the green mica Haidinger must be credited for introducing mineral contains iron since it is associated with iron oxides. names, which compare well with the present practice of Later, on Werner's request, the green mica was analysed Journal of the Czech Geological Society, 42/4 (1997) 117 by Bergman who determined copper, alumina and chlo- Johannite - Haidinger 1830 rine. (UO2 was isolated in 1789 and uranium as late as in 1841.) The analysis was done prior to 1784, since in this Johannite was first found in Jáchymov in 1819 during re- year Tornbern Olof Bergman died. According to Hof- opening of an old adit on the Geister vein in the Eliáš mann (1788, 1789), Werner introduced the name Chalko- mine. Specimens deposited in the collection of the min- lith [113], [223] for the green mineral to express copper ing official of F. Peška were inspected by Haidinger in content. This happened before 1788, not in 1789 as given spring 1826, when he visited Jáchymov in the company by Dana [98]. of Robert Allan from Edinburgh. Haidinger met R. Allen In 1789, Klaproth isolated from uraninite from the before, while staying with his father, banker Thomas Georg Wagsfort mine supposed uranium which, how- Allan, during his travel to Edinburgh in 1823-1825. John ever, was in fact UO2. He found that the same compound obtained one specimen for his study some years ago, the is present in the green micaceous mineral and a yellow remaining pieces were purchased by Kašpar Šternberk ochre from the same locality.