Important Dates in May

May 6, 1929, Marianna Borisovna Chistyakova was born, who stays with A.E. Fersman Mineralogical museum (RAS) since the 1950’s(!). She supervises the gem and color stone collection of the Museum.

May 15, 1915, John Sinkankas was born (died May 17, 2002), a famous gemologist and an author of a fundamental book on North American gemstones, Emerald and Other Beryls, this original encyclopedia, a magnificent course of mineralogy for amateurs, and many other books. Mineral sinkakasite was named in his honor. As http://www.palagems.com/ sinkankas.htm states: “…Pilot, author, bibliophile, bookbinder, collector, artist, lapidary, historian, scholar – John Sinkankas was the epitome of the Renaissance man.”

May 17, 1936, Lia Nikolayevna Kogarko, a academician of Russian Academy of Science and a specialist in magmatism, ore deposition, and geochemistry, was born. Mineral kogarkoite discovered in Colorado, USA, was named in her honor.

May 18, Anatoly Nikolaevich Korobov was born, a pilot, designer, artist, lapidary, collector, screenplay author for animated films, etc. For many years he heads the Moscow friends of Mineralogy Club, being an organizer and participant of the Wonder in Stone annual exhibition for three decades. His scenery stone collection is a unique.

May 20, 1936, Nikolai Pavlovich Yushkin, a academician of Russian Academy of Science, was born. He is a mineralogist (in particular, he deals with biomineralogical problems) and a Director of the Geological Institute of the Komi Scientific Center, Uralian Branch of RAS (Syktyvkar). During the last two decades he heads studies on fundamental description of the Uralian mineralogy. Mineral yushkinite was named in his honor.

May 21, 1885, Nikolay Alexeevich Smol'yaninov was born (died 1957), a Professor of mineralogy in the Moscow Geological Prospecting Institute since 1930 and a head of the Mineralogical museum of the same institute during 1930-1957. He was among the top mineralogists and an author of a Practical Guide on Mineralogy. Mineral smolyaninovite was named in his honor.

May 29, 1846, Carl Fabergé was born, famous Russian jewelry.