Purpose

The SIG No.5 on Mineralogical Crystallography focuses in particular on:

• Development and application of theoretical and experimental aspects of the crystal-chemistry of minerals and related inorganic structures (including solving, modelling and predicting crystal structures and their properties).
• Development and application of theoretical and experimental methods (particularly in the fields of diffraction, spectroscopy, microscopy, crystal growth and symmetry) for characterising average and real aspects of this type of structures, also as a function of thermodynamically relevant parameters such as temperature, hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic pressure, electric and magnetic fields, oxygen and sulphur fugacities, and water activity.
• Formulation and definition of the terms and language specific of the field, including the systematic of minerals and related materials.
• Preparation and availability of databases and computer programs.
• Exchange of scientific and teaching information.
• Organisation of local and international workshops, lecture courses, symposia, etc., with particular reference to the ECM meetings.