Dr Alan F. Reid

This mineral was named in honour of Dr Alan Reid who first produced this mineral in high-pressure laboratory experiments in 1969.

Alan, a New Zealander by birth, obtained his Ph.D. from the Australian National University (ANU) in 1959 and then joined CSIRO Mineral Chemistry in Melbourne.

His major research achievements included the application of solid state chemistry to the upgrading of ilmenite in the mineral sands industry and obtaining a detailed understanding of the very-high-pressure minerals likely to exist in the deep mantle of the earth. Alan was responsible for the development of QEM*SEM for the automated characterisation of ores.

Alan was Assistant Chief of Mineral Chemistry (1972-82), Chief of Mineral Engineering (1982-84), Director Institute of Energy and Earth Resources (1984-87) and Director Institute of Minerals, Energy and Construction (1988-97). After retiring from CSIRO Alan became Technical Director of Australian Environmental Resources NL.

Alan’s honours include the CSIRO David Rivett Medal (1970), Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (1982), and Fellow Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (1988). Alan was awarded a D.Sc. from the Australian National University in 1970 and received an Order of Australia in 1993.