Johann Karl Wilhelm Voigt Explained
Johann Karl Wilhelm Voigt (20 February 1752 in Allstedt - 2 January 1821 in Ilmenau) was a German mineralogist and mining engineer.
He initially studied law at the University of Jena, then in 1776 enrolled at the Mining Academy in Freiberg as a pupil of Abraham Gottlob Werner.[1] He later relocated to Weimar, where in 1783 he was named secretary of the Bergwerkskommission (mining commission).[2] During his time spent in Weimar he developed a close friendship with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - through Voigt, Goethe received an education in mineralogy.[3] From 1789 to 1821, he served as Bergrath (councillor of mines) in Ilmenau.[1]
He is best remembered for his dispute with Werner in regards to latter's theory of Neptunism; with Voigt maintaining that basalt was of volcanic origin.[1] In 1800 he introduced the term "lettenkohle" to describe coal with a large content of letten (regional German word for clay and mud).[4]
The thoroughfare Bergrat-Voigt-Straße in Erfurt commemorates his name.[5]
Selected works
- Mineralogische Reisen durch das Herzogthum Weimar und Eisenach und einige angränzende Gegenden, 1785 - Mineralogical trips through the duchy of Weimar and Eisenach and some neighboring areas.
- Mineralogische Reise von Weimar über den Thüringer Wald, Meiningen, die Rhönberge, bis Bieber und Hanau, 1786 - Mineralogical trip from Weimar of the Thuringian Forest, Meiningen, the Rhön Mountains, up until Bieber and Hanau.
- Mineralogische beschreibung des hochstifts Fuld und einiger merkwürdigen gegenden am Rhein und Mayn, 1794 - Mineralogical description of Hochstift Fulda and some unique locations on the Rhine and Mayn.
- Practische gebirgskunde, 1797 - Practical mountain studies.
- Kleine mineralogische schriften (2 volumes, 1799–1800) - Smaller mineralogical writings.
- Versuch einer Geschichte der Steinkohlen, der Braunkohlen und des Torfes, etc. (2 volumes, 1802–05) - Essay on the history of coal, lignite and peat.
- Geschichte des Ilmenauischen Bergbaues nebst einer geognostischen Darstellung der dasigen Gegend, 1821 - History of mining at Ilmenau together with a representation of the geognostic area.[6]
Notes and References
- [Wilhelm von Gümbel]
- https://books.google.com/books?id=-MAlCv4xROAC&dq=Voigt+Bergwerkskommission+1783&pg=PA290 Thies - Zymalkowski, edited by Rudolf Vierhaus
- http://www.minrec.org/libdetail.asp?id=1439 Voigt, Johann Carl Wilhelm
- http://www.palaeodiversity.org/pdf/08Suppl/02Palaeodiversity_SB_Nitsch.pdf Lettenkohle, Lettenkeuper, Unterkeuper - Vom Gesteinsnamen zum stratigraphischen Begriff
- http://www.erfurt-web.de/Bergrat-Voigt-Stra%C3%9Fe Bergrat-Voigt-Straße
- http://worldcat.org/identities/lccn-nr2003006753/ Most widely held works by Johann Carl Wilhelm Voigt
