Definition
The International Mineralogy Association (IMA)
maintains a
public listing of all the approved mineral names for all minerals since 1959
where official determinations are on record. The official designations are (A)
for approval , (D) for discreditation and/or (R) for redefinition. Mineral names
missing from this list are those species that were grandfathered as being valid
prior to 1959.
This entry in the mineralogy database denotes the IMA status of a mineral
name if it is known. This database is not the last word in determining if
a mineral species name has a valid standing with the IMA. In fact, this
database maintains a listing of some non-IMA approved mineral species names and
synonyms for historical purposes. Any reference to any mineral in this
database is in no way an endorsement of the current IMA status of the mineral
name.
The IMA status in this database is as follows:
- Approved IMA - The mineral species has been formally accepted by
the IMA as a valid species and published in a peer-reviewed journal.
- Not Approved IMA - The mineral species has not been accepted by
the IMA as a valid species.
- Valid Species (Pre-IMA) - The mineral species is considered valid
but was published before 1959, the date the IMA started to approve mineral
species. The minerals classified as such (e.g., gold, galena, etc.) would
probably rate IMA approval (but not always) if submitted today. All minerals
considered valid prior to 1959 were grandfathered as such.
- Approved IMA (Dana # Added) - Mineral species approved by the IMA
after the inclusion in the 1997 edition of Dana's New Mineralogy.
- Discredited IMA - Mineral species that are currently considered
valid but were formally discredited because of:
1. Prior publication (where the prior publication has priority of the
mineral name).
2. Later work on the holotype specimen found that species status is
questionable. The reason for the discreditation is always given.
- Proposed IMA - Unnamed mineral species known only by the year and
vote number (eg. IMA2001-043). The species is unnamed until formal publication
of the mineral species data in a peer-reviewed journal. Occasionally, the
mineral name is not kept secret prior to publication and leaks out. Hubite is
a recent example of a new species name known before publication and even
before the IMA vote. Proposed minerals are given a tentative Dana
classification number which is subject to change once the mineral is
published.
Other Information on the IMA
Here is the link to the
Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names
(CNMMN) of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA). The
"approved" list of mineral names has been approved by the CNMMN during its
meeting in Edinburgh (September 2002) and is posted at the website. This list
has been derived from the Materials
Data, Inc. MINERAL Database.
Search the Mineralogy Database
Example Subject Searches
Example: "approved ima" finds all minerals that are known
to be approved by the IMA.
Example: "not approved ima" finds all minerals that are known to not
have been approved by the IMA.
Example: "discredited ima" finds all formerly valid mineral species
that have been discredited by the IMA.
Example: "proposed ima" finds all proposed minerals submitted to the
IMA where formal publication is needed.
Example: "valid species, lacks ima approval" finds all
minerals that were grandfathered prior to 1959.
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