Université Libre de Bruxelles - Musée Minéralogique
Professors Karen Fontijn, Alain Bernard and Johan Yans
Site managing Michel Zavadsky
Photography Clémence Hébert and Michel Zavadsky
About this Site (Retour au Français).
- This "Virtual Mineralogical Museum" consists of samples of various collections from the Brussels University (ULB), including the one from the section of Engineers of Mines of the "ULB Faculty of Applied Sciences".
- The “Ecole Polytechnique” of the University of Brussels exists since 1873. The section of mines was created in 1890 in the same time than the legal term of Civil Engineer of Mines (article 28). Since then numerous Professors were working there, among which the well-known Pr Victor Brien (1910-1941) and Pr Ivan de Magnée (1946-1975).
The Professor Brien published numerous papers dealing with the ores of Congo and a special study devoted to the manganese of Chiatura (Tchiaturi) in Georgia. In 1936 he also created a funds bearing his name allowing several geologists to work on the field, mainly in Africa.
The Professor de Magnée initiated the “modern metallogeny” in 1950, published numerous papers, and contributed to a major extension of the mineralogical collection. - This collection consists mainly of ores, mineralized rocks and host rocks. Beautiful samples are not the main part of the collection. The huge number of samples (more than 4.500), the huge diversity of the samples origin (more than 1000), the great number of various minerals (around 550), and the scarcity of some mineral associations give this set a great value.
This great diversity of origins and mineral associations had constituted a plus for student training of Engineers of Mines during practical lessons. - Although the first samples of this collection date from the end of the 19th century, the oldest sample of which the label was readable, was attached to the collection in 1906!
It should be also noted that a significant number of samples come from abandoned or historical ore deposits. We can cite as an example, a Galena from Longvilly (Belgian lead mmine closed in 1901), a mixed ore sample of Chalcopyrite, Bornite and Chalcocite from the Shanguluwe deposit (Katanga) which was mined until 1947, as well as a Cassitérite from Busanga (Katanga), deposit discovered by Jocks and Cookson in 1904.
- This collection includes more than 350 mineral concentrates from either placer, or harvested after flotation and only a small number is given as an example in this virtual museum.
- More than a quarter of the samples come from the Belgian former colonies (Congo (DRC), and Burundi, almost all has been transferred to the Royal Museum of the Central Africa of Tervuren (MRAC - link : Museum). A number of samples of exceptional interest are also now part of the permanent exhibition of this museum.
- Many samples were collected during various field trips while others samples have been offered by foreign universities or mining companies. For example, two Spanish minerals lots were offered in 1930 and 1932.
- The ULB had also acquired a number of samples from the Ward's (Ward's Science Hitory), Müller and Dr. F. Krantz (F. Krantz Hitory) collections.
- All comments are, for the moment, given in French. An English version will be done in the future.
- Most of the old mineral names (as Mispickel, Sphene, Dialogite, Smaltite, Chloantite, Katangite,...) have been replaced by recent IMA official names (link : International Mineralogical Association). However some names, like for example Psilomélane, Wad, Stibiconite, Plumosite or "Gray copper", have been preserved as these old or generic names correspond to several possibilities, and are still commonly in use in the professional world.
- A few samples, like the Planchéites, the Shattuckites, as well as some manganese minerals, which have been identified sometimes over 50 years ago, could probably be re-classified with modern methods.
- The classification of minerals is made according to main groups defined by Dana. This classification was developed by James Dwight Dana in 1837 and completed in 1868. A new version was done in 1997. (link : Dana Classification - Mineral News)
- This site can be approached in clicking on four different ways:
- clicking on "--Liste des Minéraux--", we can see the various samples from the collection containing a given mineral.
- clicking on "--Roches et Divers--", we can see various types of rocks more or less mineralized, as well as groups based on concepts such as
"Iron Cap", "Roche Siliceuse Feuilletée (RSF)", ....
- clicking on "--Liste des Pays et Sites--", we can see the various minerals corresponding to a given deposit.
- a fourth possibility "--Substances Utiles--" (which is still under construction) will deal with the primary and/or secondary minerals necessary
for the production of a given element and what is the usefulness of this element in our everyday life.
- To get an idea of the size of the samples, dimensional data are added in the comments. As most of the samples have a very irregular shape, and so difficult to measure with precision, the values are rounded up to ±5 mm. When the samples consist of several pieces, only the largest of them is measured. In some cases, we only mention the dimension of the support box.
- For each mineral, as well as for the best-known sites, links to Mindat have been added. Mindat created in October 2000 (see for example : Mindat.org - 10 years online today), is probably the most commonly consulted mineralogical database.
- Information on the various deposits and mining sites (historical, geological or photos) will be gradually added.
- This site will evolve according to the collections will be added in the future.
- This site has been optimized for FireFox.
As far as their origin is explicitly specified, photos or any other information from this site is authorized for all work or scientific publications
ULB - Faculté des Sciences - Sciences de la Terre - Version 2021 - 2.1
Unfortunately, some mistakes may subsist on this site, If you discover one, please contact Michel Zavadsky (Michel.Zavadsky@ulb.be).
Many thanks and enjoy!