How new minerals are discovered and how they are validated

This article provides practical advices on how to move from an unknown mineral phase to a valid new mineral species officially approved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature, and Classification of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA CNMNC). The first step is to make sure that the unknown phase is truly new and has natural origin, realistically assess chances to obtain a complete set of analytical data required for its approval as a new mineral, and assemble a team of professionals to conduct the relevant analytical works. Based on the research results, a proposal (“check-list”) for a new mineral is compiled and submitted to the IMA CNMNC for voting. The type specimen of a potential new mineral must be deposited to a scientifically curated museum. If more than half of the IMA CNMNC members participate in the vote and more than 75 % of them vote for the new mineral, it is considered the IMA-approved mineral species. The team of authors then has two years to publish a paper on the description of the new mineral, after which it is finally validated by the scientific community. The article provides examples from the authors’ practice related to the specifics of the process of study and the subsequent approving procedure of new minerals.