The discovery of nickel in 1751 originated from a mining expert's observation of ores in Los, Sweden, that appeared to contain copper but yielded none. Axel Fredrik Cronstedt identified this distinct metal, challenging existing metallurgical assumptions and setting a new analytical course for the chemical classification of minerals throughout the mid-eighteenth century.
Early Education and Training
Born in 1722 at Turinge, Axel Fredrik Cronstedt began his studies at the University of Uppsala in 1738. He attended lectures by chemist Johan Gottschalk Wallerius and astronomer Anders Celsius. His career trajectory shifted toward geology and mining after assisting his father, Gabriel Olderman Cronstedt, during a military inspection tour. Following this, he enrolled at the School of Mines, where he studied under Daniel Tilas. Between 1746 and 1748, he refined his expertise in smelting and chemical analysis at the Laboratorium Chemicum in Stockholm under the guidance of Georg Brandt.
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Cronstedt gained recognition for introducing the blowpipe as a standard analytical instrument. Originally a tool used by goldsmiths, he adapted the blowpipe to examine small mineral samples. This methodology allowed him to identify distinctive physical properties, such as the frothing of stilbite, which he termed zeolite in 1756. His systematic approach to organizing the mineral kingdom culminated in the 1758 publication of Försök til mineralogie, eller mineral-rikets upställning. In this work, he argued that chemical analysis, rather than superficial appearance, should dictate the classification of minerals.
Contributions to Elemental Chemistry
Beyond nickel, Cronstedt made significant observations regarding other substances. He discovered the mineral later known as scheelite at Bispberg Klack in 1751, naming it tungsten, which translates to 'heavy stone.' While Carl Wilhelm Scheele later extracted a new metal from this ore, the name tungsten remained. Furthermore, his 1758 text noted an unidentified earth found in stone from the Bastnäs mine in Riddarhyttan. This observation provided the basis for Jöns Jacob Berzelius and Wilhelm Hisinger to isolate cerium decades later.
Professional Life and Legacy
Throughout his career, Cronstedt held various roles, including serving as a superintendent of mining operations for Öster and Västerbergslagen beginning in 1758. He became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1753. In 1760, he married Gertrud Charlotta Söderhielm. He moved to the Nisshyttan estate near Säter in 1761, where he resided until his death on 19 August 1765 at the age of 42.
Fast facts
- Born: 1722, Turinge, Sweden
- Died: 1765, Säter, Sweden
- Discovery: Nickel (1751)
- Book: Försök til mineralogie (1758)
- Education: University of Uppsala, School of Mines
- Professional Member: Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
- Spouse: Gertrud Charlotta Söderhielm
Questions readers ask
What is the origin of the term nickel?
Miners in Los, Sweden, used the term kupfernickel to describe an ore that looked like copper but failed to yield any; they blamed a mischievous sprite known as a nickel for this outcome.
Why was the blowpipe important to Cronstedt?
The blowpipe allowed for the precise chemical analysis of small ore samples, enabling the identification of new elements and defining his approach to modern mineralogy.
Achievements
- Fields of research: chemistry and mineralogy
