I recently came across an article on the stunning blue mineral, linarite, formula CuPb(SO4)(OH)2.
Linarite was named in 1839 by Ernst Friedrich Glocker for the type locality, Linares, Linares-La Carolina District, Jaén, Andalusia, Spain, according to Mindat.
But was that the first description of the mineral? Apparently not.
This mineral was originally described by H.I. Brooke in 1822. The specimens Brooke described came from either Wanlockhead or Leadhills in Scotland. Although Brooke described the new mineral relatively well for the times, he didn’t name it.
It fell to Glocker to name it. Glocker was an interesting fellow. He was a German mineralogist, geologist, and paleontologist, but originally studied theology and philosophy. He named several minerals, including linarite.
Below: Linarite with hemimorphite, Silver Gill Mine, Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria, England. Width of view 5.75mm.
What a missed opportunity. Naming anything (river, lake, mountain, mineral) would be a heck of a thing to stake your name in the history books with.
What a scrumptious little thing…💙🤩