[Rockhounds] lead-bearing Broken Hill orthoclase

[Axel Emmermann]

Don and Bryan,

Any nomenclature-hiccups date from Mendeleev's time.
The element names in his table were taken directly from the alchemistic
inheritance.
Argentum, hydrargirum, hydrogenum, ferrum, plumbum... All Latin names from
centuries ago.
Yet, the advantage is that all languages refer to the same Latin names thus
making the element names and symbols universal.
Small deviations can cause big confusion. For example: coltan stands for the
ore of columbium and tantalium...the basis ore for cell phones and other
high-tech applications.
In Europe we also call it coltan but we say niobium instead of columbium. 
Plumbojarosite is the same in Dutch, French , German.... 
If you were to use the element names in different languages we would call it
something like loodjarosiet in Dutch, plombejarosite in French, Bleijarosit
in German
Now everybody can easily communicate.

Cheers

Axel




> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com 
> [mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com] Namens DonH
> Verzonden: woensdag 24 oktober 2007 1:48
> Aan: Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem 
> collectors
> Onderwerp: Re: [Rockhounds] lead-bearing Broken Hill orthoclase
> 
> J Bryan Kramer wrote:
> 
> > Geez why don't they just do what chemists do, call it lead 
> (II) orthoclase.
> > Perfectly transparent and obvious.
> 
> 
> I agree, though the nomenclature for minerals has been set up 
> to distinguish between whether it is a species where lead is 
> a primary cation, or whether it is simply a lead-rich variety 
> of an existing species that doesn't warrant its own unique 
> name, etc.  I think we're stuck with those conventions for a 
> while unless the mineral community agrees to a wholesale 
> revision of the nomenclature, which would no doubt be 
> accompanied by years of fretting, debate, fussing, and 
> pontification, after which a number of people would deplore 
> the final decision anyway.
> 
> best,
> Don
> 
> 
> 
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