Klaproth

Martin Heinrich Klaproth was a German chemist and mineralogist who lived from 1743 to 1817. He is noted for pioneering work in analytical chemistry and mineral analysis, and for identifying new elements through the study of minerals.

Among his most notable achievements is the discovery of the element uranium in 1789. While analyzing pitchblende, he isolated a new oxide and proposed the name uranium after the planet Uranus, reflecting the naming conventions of the period.

In the same year, Klaproth identified zirconium in the mineral zircon and named the element zirconium after the mineral. This work contributed to the early development of the field of inorganic chemistry and the systematic analysis of minerals.

Throughout his career, Klaproth published numerous papers on mineralogy and chemistry, helping to establish qualitative analysis as a foundational tool in chemistry and inspiring later researchers to pursue element discovery and isolation.

His contributions are regarded as foundational in the rise of modern inorganic chemistry and the study of mineral constituents, and he remains associated with the early history of several elements.

Martin Heinrich Klaproth died in 1817.