Johann Friedrich August Breithaupt (May 16, 1791 – September 22, 1873) was a German

mineralogist Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical mineralogy, optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifact (archaeology), artifacts. Specific s ...

and professor at Freiberg Mining Academy in

Freiberg, Saxony Freiberg () is a college town, university and former mining town in Saxony, Germany, with around 41,000 inhabitants. The city lies in the foreland of the Ore Mountains, in the Saxon urbanization axis, which runs along the northern edge of the ...

Biography

He was born in Probstzella,

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

. He received his doctorate at the Universities of

Jena Jena (; ) is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Germany and the second largest city in Thuringia. Together with the nearby cities of Erfurt and Weimar, it forms the central metropolitan area of Thuringia with approximately 500,000 in ...

and

Marburg Marburg (; ) is a college town, university town in the States of Germany, German federal state () of Hesse, capital of the Marburg-Biedenkopf Districts of Germany, district (). The town area spreads along the valley of the river Lahn and has ...

. He studied under

Abraham Gottlob Werner Abraham Gottlob Werner (; 25 September 174930 June 1817) was a German geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the structure, composition, and History of Earth, history of Earth. Geologists incorporate techniques from physics, chem ...

at the Freiberg Mining Academy where he received an appointment in 1813 as teacher and lapidary, and became professor of

mineralogy Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical mineralogy, optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifact (archaeology), artifacts. Specific s ...

after the departure of Friedrich Mohs in 1826. He held that position until 1866.

Research

He is credited with the discovery of 47 valid mineral species. The mineral

breithauptite Breithauptite is a nickel antimonide mineral with the simple formula NiSb. Breithauptite is a metallic opaque copper-red mineral crystallizing in the hexagonal - dihexagonal dipyramidal crystal system. It is typically massive to reniform in habit ...

was named in his honor. His work included important contributions to

crystallography Crystallography is the branch of science devoted to the study of molecular and crystalline structure and properties. The word ''crystallography'' is derived from the Ancient Greek word (; "clear ice, rock-crystal"), and (; "to write"). In J ...

and the physical and chemical properties of minerals. He developed the concept of mineral paragenesis.

Works

His publications include: *''Ueber die Echtheit der Krystalle'' (1815, on pseudomorphs) *''Characteristik des Mineral Systems'' (1820; 3d improved ed., 1832) *''Vollständiges Handbuch der Mineralogie'' (1841) *''Die Bergstadt Freiberg'' (1825; 2d ed., 1847) *''Die Paragenesis der Mineralien'' (1849)

Notes

References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Breithaupt, August German mineralogists 1791 births 1873 deaths University of Jena alumni Scientists from Freiberg