Mineralogie#

Mineralogy: I. Born and A. Stuetz are considered to be the pioneers of research into mining, metallurgy, mineralogy and geology in Austria. At the beginning of the 19th century F. Mohs presented a new mineral system and established mineralogy as a science in Austria. Works by W. Haidinger based on Mohs made Austrian mineralogy highly renowned worldwide. At that time mineralogy was still closely connected with practical mining applications and beginning to differentiate into crystal physics and petrography. G. Tschermak-Seysenegg and F.J.K. Becke wrote fundamental works on this topic. A comprehensive work on mineral resources in the period of the Monarchy was written by V.L. Zepharovich. A. Schrauf is regarded as the co-founder of crystal physics, he transformed purely descriptive mineralogy into theoretical mineralogy and also founded physicochemical mineralogy. C. Doelter y Cisterich established the category of mineral chemistry. Meteorite research also became important in Austria (A. Beckh von Widmanstaetter, G. Tschermak-Seysenegg, F. M. Berwerth, H. Michel). In the 20th century mineralogy made enormous progress due to exact methods of mineral analysis in theory (fine structure of crystals) and practice (material research). Petrofabrics, the study of rock fabric or texture, developed by B. Sander, found worldwide acceptance as a method to spatially locate rocks and ores. Ore mineralogy, refined by O. M. Friedrich, established itself as a new field of mineralogy K. L. Machatschki carried out fundamental studies on crystal chemistry and on the systematics of feldspars which are still valid today. H. Meixner gave a new stimulus to mineral topography. At present about 650 mineral species are known to occur in Austria.

University institutes of mineralogy are located in Vienna, Graz (also at the Graz University of Technology), Leoben (University of Mining and Metallurgy), Salzburg and Innsbruck. Other research institutes: Vienna Museum of Natural History (with National Institute of Gemmary), Geotechnical Institute of the Federal Research and Testing Institute (Bundesversuchs- und Pruefanstalt) Arsenal in Vienna, Styrian Provincial Museum Joanneum in Graz.

Exhibitions: The mineralogical collections in the Museum of Natural History and in the Styrian Provincial Museum Joanneum are world-famous. Further exhibits are on display in the provincial museums in Klagenfurt, Salzburg, Linz, Innsbruck, Dornbirn and Eisenstadt, in the Astronomical Observatory of Kremsmuenster and in some museums of local history and culture.

Literature#