A mineralogist is a scientist who specializes in the study of minerals. He or she can work in a variety of settings, from state laboratories that analyze mineral samples for assay to private industry, where mineralogists use samples from the site to determine the value of claimed land and mineral finds. People who work in this field of geology spend a lot of time in the field, sometimes in very remote locations, and they also work in laboratories to analyze minerals.
The accurate identification and classification of minerals is one of the most important aspects of a mineralogist’s job, regardless of where he or she works. A variety of techniques, including chemical analysis to study a mineral’s chemical composition, can be used to test and examine it to determine what it is. A mineralogist can use the information gained from the identification and classification of a mineral to draw additional conclusions and turn the data into something useful.
A mineralogist working for a diamond company, for example, might take samples from newly claimed land to look for so-called “indicator minerals,” which are commonly found with diamonds. Based on existing information about indicator minerals and diamond mines, the mineralogist may be able to determine whether or not diamonds are likely to be present, and draw conclusions about the quantity and quality of the diamonds at the site, without actually finding any diamonds.
Some mineralogists specialize in high temperature mineralogy, which studies minerals that form at extremely high temperatures, such as those found deep beneath the Earth’s crust and in volcanoes. Others are interested in mineralogy at low temperatures. Many mineralogists collaborate with other professionals, such as engineers and geologists, to pool their resources and knowledge. Multiple fields of knowledge may be required to make sense of a mineral claim and determine how it should be used, so teamwork is often essential.
Mineral-using companies rely on mineralogists for exploration, with an exploratory team scouring an area to see if it would be profitable to purchase mineral rights. Mineralogists also discover new uses for minerals and research how they are used, as well as how they can be made more effective and efficient. Mineralogists can also choose to specialize in a single mineral, gaining extensive knowledge and acting as consultants to a wide range of businesses and industries, or work exclusively for a single company to improve its products.