Biominerals and the Environment

Mar 26, 2023mineralogy-ima.orgBiomineralogy and the Environment, IMA commissions

Commission on Biominerals and the Environment

Biominerals: a continuously growing family

Biominerals are the product of organism’s activity leading to mineral formation within the cellular space or in the space surrounding the organism. In the last decades biominerals have received growing interest from a large interdisciplinary scientific community. Actually, biominerals are known from the geological record to play a pivotal role in biogeochemical cycles of elements. Thus, understanding biomineralization processes in widely different environments helps us to understand environmental changes induced by anthropic activities, as well the as environment resiliency. Moreover, they offer diverse examples to devise useful biobased materials and allow the development of technologies for environmental sustainability.

The Commission on Biominerals and the Environment (CBE) was initially established as a Working Group in 2022 and became a Commission in 2026 following its launch phase. It was created based on the concept that biominerals, in all their diversity of forms, are central to environmental function and human activities in the environment. However, the community of specialist researchers in this topical area currently lack a forum for information exchange to discuss and promote this science. It is the charter of the CBE to bridge this gap by rallying a set of enthusiastic leaders from the community that can help promote relevant research, both basic and applied, and foster dissemination more broadly. The members of the Commission act on a voluntary basis and participate with a collaborative approach to pursue said aim.

Officers:

Chair: Giovanni DE GIUDICI, Università di Cagliari, Italia

Vice-Chair: Kevin ROSSO, Pacific Northwest National Lab. USA.

Vice-Chair: Juraj MAIZLAN, Univ. Jena, Germany

Secretary: Karen HUDSON-EDWARDS, Exeter Univ. UK.

Members: Pupa Gilbert (USA), Andreas Kappler (Germany), Jonathan Lloyd (UK), Francesco Di Benedetto (Italy), Lucian Staicu (Poland), Juan Liu (China), Eric van Hullebusch (France), Łukasz Kruszewsk (Poland), Karim Benzerara (France), Julie Cosmidis (UK), Maria Dittrich (Canada)

For info write to bio-enviro-office@mineralogy-ima.org

Reports:

WGBE Report 2026

WGBE Report 2025

WGBE Report 2024

Museums

Mar 26, 2023mineralogy-ima.orgIMA commissions, Museums and Mineralogy (MM)

Commission on Museums

Strategy

The IMA-CM was established to link the mineralogical sections of museums around the world. The best specimens of minerals, and those described for the first time, are often collected in museums, and the history of mineralogy is intimately bound to the history of museum mineral collections.

The IMA Commission on Museums has officially endorsed the Society of Mineral Museum Professionals as the organization to unite mineral museum curators world-wide.

Current website: https://www.ima-cm.org/about

Officers:

Chairman: Melanie KALIWODA, LMU – Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Theresienstrasse 41, D-80333 Munich, GERMANY

Vice-Chairman: Paula C. PIILONEN, Canadian Museum of Nature, 240 McLeod Street, Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA

Secretary: Oskar LINDENMAYER, Museums Victoria, PO Box 666, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, AUSTRALIA

IMA commission on museum has a sub-commission dedicated to Type Minerals (IMA-CM-CTMS).

IMA-CM-CTMS chair: Nicholas MEISSER, Musée cantonal de Géologie BFSH2, CH 1015 Lausanne, SWITZERLAND

Reports:

CM Report 2026

CM Report 2015 – 2016

CM Report 2013 – 2014

CM Report 2011 – 2012

CM Business Meeting July 2006

CM Report 2005

CM Business Meeting Oct. 2005

CM Report 2004

CM Business Meeting Oct. 2003

CM Report 2003

CM Business Meeting Oct. 2002

CM Business Meeting Sept. 2002

New Minerals Nomenclature and Classification

Mar 26, 2023mineralogy-ima.orgIMA commissions, New Minerals Nomenclature and Classification (NMNC)

Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification

*Hematite crystal 2.7 mm across – Monte Cervandone area, Devero Alp, Baceno, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy (Private collection, Matteo Chinellato photo).*

Overview

The Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC) of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA) was formed with the purpose of controlling the introduction of new minerals and mineral names, rationalizing the mineral nomenclature, reviewing the existing systems of mineral classification, and providing advice on the classification of minerals to the mineralogical community.
The philosophy of the CNMNC is not to impose an arbitrary set of rigid rules on the mineralogical community, but rather to provide a set of coherent guidelines that lead to a reasonably consistent approach to the introduction of new minerals and the application of mineral nomenclature.
The CNMNC consists of representatives appointed by national mineralogical societies or association, and an executive committee consisting of chairman, two vice-chairmen and secretary.

You can visit the IMA-CNMNC website, in which the latest IMA List of Minerals (updated every two months) is available.

Officers:

Chairman: Ferdinando BOSI, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Sapienza Univ. di Roma, Italy.

Vice-Chair (Changes in existing nomenclature):Frédéric HATERT, Université de Liège, Faculté des Sciences, Département de Géologie, Place du 20 août, B-4000 Liège, Belgium.

Vice-Chair (General classification matters): Marco PASERO, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Pisa, Via Santa Maria 53, I-56126 Pisa, Italy

Secretary: Stuart MILLS, Gallery of Natural Art, PO Box 830460, Richardson, TX 75083, USA

Members:

See IMA-CNMNC website for details.

Reports:

Elbaite, multicolored crystals up to 7 mm – Rosina vein, San Piero in Campo, Campo nell’Elba, Livorno, Province, Tuscany, Italy. From the base to the terminations the following tourmaline species and varieties can be listed:black= Schorl ; yellow-greenish= Mn-rich fluor-elbaite ; colorless= Fluor-elbaite ; bluish=Fe-rich fluor-elbaite ; colorless= Rossmanite ; gray= Mn- and Fe-rich fluor-elbaite (Private collection, Matteo Chinellato photo).

CNMNC Report 2022-2026

CNMNC Report 2025

CNMNC Report 2024

CNMNC Report 2016

CNMNC-Unnamed Minerals Report 2014

CNMNC Report 2014

CNMNC Report 2012

CNMNC Report 2010

CNMNC Report 2009

CNMNC Report 2008

CNMNC Report 2007

CNMNC Member List 2007

CNMNC Report 2005

CNMNC Report 2004

CNMNC Report 2003

CNMNC Report 2002

CCM Report 2005

CCM Report 2004

CCM Report 2003

Mineral Informatics

Mar 26, 2023mineralogy-ima.orgIMA commissions, Mineral Informatics

Commission on Mineral Informatics

Informatics, or information science, focuses on all aspects of extracting information from data. The objectives of informatics include assembling and providing access to well-curated data resources, developing and applying advanced analytical and visualization methods, and interpretation of results after applying these methods. Open and reliable data resources that conform to FAIR practices (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) are an essential pillar of scientific advances through informatics. Mineralogists have long benefitted from open-access data resources such as mindat.org, rruff.info, and earthchem.org, but a significant amount of published and unpublished data on mineral occurrences, compositions, physical properties, and other attributes are not yet available in any open-access platform. Most mineralogical publications do not require new data to be deposited in an open-access form, nor are there uniform standards for reporting such data.

Accordingly, significant opportunities exist to improve access and reliability of a wide range of mineralogical data, as well as to develop and disseminate analytical and visualization methods to advance mineralogical research. The IMA Commission on Mineral Informatics was initially established as a working group in 2022. We have initiated discussions among more than 80 engaged members of the community to identify needs and opportunities, to formulate best practices, to encourage a culture of data sharing among members of the Earth and planetary materials community, and to develop and share new resources. It was elevated to an IMA Commission in 2026 after completing its start-up phase.

If you would like to receive future notices, and perhaps participate in this effort, please email Robert Hazen.

Officers:

Chair: Robert M. HAZEN, Carnegie Institution for Science, USA.

Vice-Chair: Sergey V. KRIVOVICHEV, Dept. Crystallography, Saint-Petersburg State Univ. Russia.

Vice-Chair: Yan LI, Peking University, China.

Secretary: Shaunna M. MORRISON, Carnegie Institution for Science, USA.

Reports:

WGMI Report 2026

WGMI Report 2025

WGMI Report 2024

Applied Mineralogy

Mar 26, 2023mineralogy-ima.orgApplied Mineralogy, IMA commissions

Commission on Applied Mineralogy

Strategy

IMA-CAM was initiated around 1979, after the creation of the International Council for Applied Mineralogy (ICAM). The aims of IMA-CAM are to co-ordinate or arrange conferences, symposia, seminars, or meetings devoted to applied mineralogy, to serve as a liaison body to other organizations active in the field, and to encourage interaction between applied mineralogists, particularly focusing on the areas of process mineralogy, applied mineralogy of ceramics, cements and glasses, development and application of advanced materials, environmental mineralogy and health, analytical techniques, mineral surfaces and nanoparticles.

Officers:

Chair: Maarten A.T.M. BROEKMANS, Geological Survey of Norway, Department of Mineral Characterization, N-7491 TRONDHEIM, Norway.

Vice-Chair: Emin CIFTCI, İTÜ Maden Fakültesi Jeoloji Mühendisliği Bölümü 34460 Maslak İstanbul, Turkey.

Secretary: Jan ELSEN, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E – bus 2411, B-3001 Leuven-Heverlee, Belgium.

IMA-CAM includes the following 4 sub-commissions:

(1) Mineralogy Applied to Building Materials: Chair: Martin Broekmans (see above).

(2) Cultural Heritage and Archaeological Materials: Chair: Isabella MEMMI, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Università degli Studi di Sienna Via Laterna, 8 – 53100 Siena, Italy

(3) Advanced Ceramics and Glasses: Chair: Hans-Joachim KLEEBE Institut für Angewandte Geowissenschaften Fachgebiet Geomaterialwissenschaft, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstr. 9, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany.

(4) Geometallurgy: new chair to be nominated soon

Reports:

Physics of Minerals

Mar 26, 2023mineralogy-ima.orgIMA commissions, Physics of Minerals

Commission on Physics of Minerals

*Example of single crystal prepared by FIB for an diamond anvil cell experiment at high pressure and high temperature (courtesy P. Comodi)*

Strategy

This Commission was established by the International Mineralogical Association to promote the latest knowledge in mineral physics, solid-state physics and materials science based on the study of minerals to better understand deep Earth processes.
To promote the activities of Earth scientists, mineral physicists, and materials scientists working with experimental and computational methods under high/low pressure and high/low temperature conditions with the goal of better understanding earth and planetary processes from surface to deep through the study of minerals.

Organize Commission-sponsored international workshops, schools, and conferences. Publish reports and publications in their field.

Officers:

Chairman: Paola COMODI, Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, Italy.

Expertise: Mineral Physics, High pressure and high temperature crystallography, Hydrous minerals)

Vice-Chairman: Jun TSUCHIYA, Department of Earth and Space Science, The University of Osaka, Japan

Expertise: Mineral physics, ab-initio calculation

Secretary: Sujoy GHOSH, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Dept. Geophysics and Geology, Kharagpur, India

Expertise: Experimental Petrology, Mineral Physics

Reports:

*Example of mineral structure calculated by ab initio method (courtesy P. Comodi)*

CPM Report 2022-2026

CPM Report 2025

CPM Report 2022 – 2024

CPM Report 2018 – 2022

CPM Report 2015 – 2020

CPM Report 2015 – 2016

CPM Report 2011 – 2014

CPM Report 2009

CPM Member List 2009

CPM Report 2006

CPM Report 2005

CPM Report 2002

Gem Materials

Mar 26, 2023mineralogy-ima.orgGem Materials, IMA commissions

Commission on Gem Materials

Scope and Strategy

*Rough diamonds (total 36.5 ct) seen in a miner’s house during a field trip to Indonesia, West Kalimantan.*

The IMA-commission on Gem Materials was established during the 11^th IMA General Meeting (held in Novosibirsk, in 1978) following the former IMA Working Group on Gem Materials chaired by Prof. Sunagawa (Japan). Over all these years of continued effort, the IMA commission on Gem Materials has been focusing on harmonizing gem terminology with mineralogical terminology. The current officers will continue these tasks by keeping the gem glossary up to date. In addition, we perceive that, in the modern world, the following roles should be assumed by the IMA commission on Gem Materials: (1) the commission can serve as a bridge between the academic community, the gem trade, and the community of collectors; (2) the commission can serve as a bridge between the gem-producing countries and the gem-consuming countries; (3) the commission can serve as a bridge between the virtual worlds of gem-related information and the real world of gem research ; and (4) the commission should work more closely with other IMA commissions such as the commissions for museums, CNMNC, etc.

CGM List of Gem Materials

Officers:

Chair:
Andy Hsi-Tien SHEN
Gemological Institute, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China.

*“Gota de aceite” effect in a natural emerald from Colombia; field of view : 1.7 mm.*
(Copyright from Laboratoire Français de Gemmologie)

Vice-Chair:
Oliver Tschauner
Dept. Earth Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA.

First Secretary:
Stefanos Karampelas
Department of Mineralogy-Petrology, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Second Secretary:
Chao-wen Wang
Gemmological Institute, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China.

Reports:

CGM Report 2024-2026

Ore Mineralogy

Mar 26, 2023mineralogy-ima.orgIMA commissions, Ore Mineralogy

Commission on Ore Mineralogy

Strategy

The Commission on Ore Mineralogy of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA) was set up in 1962 to serve the interests of ore mineralogists in universities, research institutions and the minerals industry across the world. Our goals are to promote ore mineralogy within the scientific community, to train fellow members in investigative skills through a series of short courses, and to support the activities of other IMA commissions by providing advice and expert opinion on issues related to our fields of research. Through its regular short courses, regional meetings, scientific sessions, other symposia and field excursions, as well as its website, COM offers a platform to ore mineralogists to share their knowledge with others, exchange information, and to speak with a collective voice on issues that affect our branch of science. As one of the commissions of IMA, the COM supports the goals of international cooperation and collaborative research in pure and applied mineralogy.

Officers:

Chairman: Malte JUNGE (Natural History Museum Bern, Bernastrass 15, CH-3005 Bern, Switzerland)

Vice-Chair: Jakub Ciążela (Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences Research Centre in Wrocław, Poland)

Secretary: Nicola MONDILLO (Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”Italy)

Reports: