Djalma Guimarães
Encyclopedia
Djalma Guimarães was a pioneer Brazilian geochemist
. He was Professor Emeritus in the Escola de Minas de Ouro Preto and in the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
at Belo Horizonte
. At both institutions, he taught geological sciences for more than 35 years.
He was a grandson of the Consellor Joaquim Caetano da Silva Guimarães and of the Senator Manoel Teixeira da Costa. Guimarães was brought up in a family which produced Brazilian writers such as Bernardo
and Alphonsus Guimarães. He was also a nephew of scientists Pandiá Calógeras and Paul Ferrand.
, petrography
and geology
was inspired, during his student years, at the Escola de Minas de Ouro Preto by the lessons and assignments given by Professor Costa Sena. He graduated in 1919, at this school with the title of Civil, Mining and Metallurgical Engineer. His first prize was a study trip in Europe. His travel companion was the Engineer Israel Pinheiro; the latter was about 40 years later Governor of the State of Minas Gerais and who did the managerial work for the construction of Brasilia from 1956 to 1960.
Guimarães' first professional assignment was not in the branch of geology but in the construction of the now Rui Barbosa Avenue through the old Morro da Viuva at the Botafogo in Rio de Janeiro, then the capital of Brazil. Guimarães published more than 200 hundreds papers, books and memoirs, and gave numerous conferences. About three books have been published in his homage by his former students and collaborators. One of these is Contributions to Geology and Petrology (1985). This book probably lists all works produced by Guimarães, as the only author or in collaboration with other professionals, from 1924 to 1978.
The book was financed by the CBMM (Companhia Brasileira de Mineração e Metalurgia) who owns the greatest niobium
ore (pyrochlore
) mine of the world in Barreiro, Araxá, Minas Gerais. This ore reserve was discovered byGuimarães and his team when he was the Head of Geology of the former Geological Survey of Minas Gerais (1931–1932). CBMM created the medal Djalma Guimarães to be granted to the best geologist graduated at the Escola de Minas de Ouro Preto or at the Instituto de Geociências of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais at Belo Horizonte.
Geochemistry
The field of geochemistry involves study of the chemical composition of the Earth and other planets, chemical processes and reactions that govern the composition of rocks, water, and soils, and the cycles of matter and energy that transport the Earth's chemical components in time and space, and...
. He was Professor Emeritus in the Escola de Minas de Ouro Preto and in the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais is a federal university located in Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The students are admitted through yearly exams called vestibular....
at Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
. At both institutions, he taught geological sciences for more than 35 years.
He was a grandson of the Consellor Joaquim Caetano da Silva Guimarães and of the Senator Manoel Teixeira da Costa. Guimarães was brought up in a family which produced Brazilian writers such as Bernardo
Bernardo Guimarães
Bernardo Joaquim da Silva Guimarães was a Brazilian poet and novelist. He is the author of the famous romances A Escrava Isaura and O Seminarista. He also introduced to the Brazilian poetry the "verso bestialógico" , poems whose verses are very nonsensical, although very metrical...
and Alphonsus Guimarães. He was also a nephew of scientists Pandiá Calógeras and Paul Ferrand.
Career
Guimarães' interest in mineralogyMineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
, petrography
Petrography
Petrography is a branch of petrology that focuses on detailed descriptions of rocks. Someone who studies petrography is called a petrographer. The mineral content and the textural relationships within the rock are described in detail. Petrographic descriptions start with the field notes at the...
and geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
was inspired, during his student years, at the Escola de Minas de Ouro Preto by the lessons and assignments given by Professor Costa Sena. He graduated in 1919, at this school with the title of Civil, Mining and Metallurgical Engineer. His first prize was a study trip in Europe. His travel companion was the Engineer Israel Pinheiro; the latter was about 40 years later Governor of the State of Minas Gerais and who did the managerial work for the construction of Brasilia from 1956 to 1960.
Guimarães' first professional assignment was not in the branch of geology but in the construction of the now Rui Barbosa Avenue through the old Morro da Viuva at the Botafogo in Rio de Janeiro, then the capital of Brazil. Guimarães published more than 200 hundreds papers, books and memoirs, and gave numerous conferences. About three books have been published in his homage by his former students and collaborators. One of these is Contributions to Geology and Petrology (1985). This book probably lists all works produced by Guimarães, as the only author or in collaboration with other professionals, from 1924 to 1978.
The book was financed by the CBMM (Companhia Brasileira de Mineração e Metalurgia) who owns the greatest niobium
Niobium
Niobium or columbium , is a chemical element with the symbol Nb and atomic number 41. It's a soft, grey, ductile transition metal, which is often found in the pyrochlore mineral, the main commercial source for niobium, and columbite...
ore (pyrochlore
Pyrochlore
Pyrochlore 2Nb2O6 is a solid solution between the niobium end member , and the tantalum end member .-Occurrence:...
) mine of the world in Barreiro, Araxá, Minas Gerais. This ore reserve was discovered byGuimarães and his team when he was the Head of Geology of the former Geological Survey of Minas Gerais (1931–1932). CBMM created the medal Djalma Guimarães to be granted to the best geologist graduated at the Escola de Minas de Ouro Preto or at the Instituto de Geociências of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais at Belo Horizonte.
Selected works
- Uranium-bearing minerals of Brazil (14th International Geological Congress, Madrid, 1926, Comptes Rendus, vol., 4, p. 1789–1794).
- Upland diamonds deposits, Diamantina District, Minas Gerais (Economic Geology, New Haven, 1929, vol., 24, p. 444-447).
- Das Problem der Granitbildung (Chemie der Erde, Jena, 1938, vol. 12 p. 83-94).
- Mineral Deposits of magmatic origin. (Economic Geology, Lancaster, 1947, vol. 42, p. 45-57).See: http://www.segweb.org.
- Age determination of quartz veins and pegmatites in Brazil.(Economic Geol., Lancaster, 1948, vol. 53, no. 2).
- Report of niobium (columbium) ore deposit of Barreiro, Araxá, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Departamento Nacional da Produção Mineral, Open file report, 1955.
- Geologia do Brasil. Brasil. Departamento Nacional da Produção Mineral, Rio de Janeiro,1964, Memória 1, 674 p.
- Princípios de metalgonêse e geologia econômica do Brasil. Departamento Nacional da Produção Mineral, Rio de Janeiro, 1965, 625p.
- Gênese da Bacia Amazônica. Revista da Escola de Minas, Ouro Preto, 1971, vol.29, no.1 p. 24-26.
- Further he described the following new four minerals: eschwegite; arrojadite; pennaite and giannettite.