Dr W.G. (Gus) Mumme

This mineral was named in honour of Dr Gus Mumme for his outstanding contributions to the crystal chemistry and nomenclature of sulfosalt minerals.

Gus Mumme graduated with a Ph.D. from the University of Adelaide and joined CSIRO Mineral Chemistry in David Wadsley’s group in Melbourne in 1962.

His research interest in sulfosalts from Australian and overseas locations has resulted in him naming three new minerals from mines near Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory. The minerals  were junoite, proudite and pekoite. Gus has characterised and named over twenty new minerals.

Gus has made mineralogical contributions to industrial processes, including to the Direct Alkali Regeneration System (DARS), to iron ore sintering, and to copper processing at Roxby Downs in South Australia.

Gus retired from CSIRO in 1997 but continued his crystal structure research as an Honorary Fellow, contributing to the crystal structure determination of over 75 inorganic phases.

Gus was made a Fellow of the American Mineralogical Society in 1985.