Marignacite

Named in 1907 by Samuel Weidman and Victor Lenher in honor of Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac [April 24, 1817 Geneva, Switzerland - 1894 Geneva, Switzerland], professor of chemistry and mineralogy at the Geneva Academy. Marignac was important in the field of determining the accurate atomic weights of elements and provided data for 57 elements. He was very interested in rare earth elements and discovered ytterbium and was co-discoverer of gadolinium. He worked on other elements for which full discovereies were made by other scientists. His study of atomic weights, particularly of rare earth elements, led to the concept isotopic variation within atomic weights. Marignac made important researches in the nature of silicic acid and the role of fluorine in silica compounds. He also contrinuted to understanding the process of the formation and activity of solutions, including exo- and endo-thermic processes.

A synonym of 'Ceriopyrochlore (of Hogarth 1977)'