The challenge of the identification of a new mineral species: example 'Pezzottaite'

摘要

In 2002, a new gem mineral of commercial importanceudwas discovered. In accordance with the need for alludnew mineral discoveries to be scientificallyudcharacterized (see Nickel and Grice, 1998), theudgemological community anxiously awaited the resultsudof tests to positively identify the new mineralud(Hawthorne et al., 2003, Hawthorne et al., submittedudand Laurs et al., 2003). This period of analysisudbrought into play the question: Exactly whatudprocedures are necessary for the positiveudcharacterization of a new mineral?