Friedrich Schickendantz
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Schickendantz (15 January 1837-4 April 1896) was an Argentine-German scientist who worked in the fields of mineralogy, chemistry, botany, geology, and meteorology. He was born in Landau
, now in the Rhineland-Palatinate
state of Germany. He studied chemistry and mineralogy at the University of Munich and the University of Heidelberg, under the direction of Robert Bunsen
.
Schickendantz was one of the attendees of the 1860 Karlsruhe Congress
. In 1861, while he was at Oxford
, he decided to take a job at a mine in Pilciao, Andalgalá
, in the Argentine province of Catamarca
. The mine, called Casa Lafone, was owned by Samuel Fisher Lafone. Schickendantz worked at the mine until 1868; during this time he became a close friend of the supervisor of the mine, Samuel Lafone Quevedo, son of Fisher Lafone and developed what became known as the Schickendantz method for separating gold from copper.
Schickendantz also studied the plants in the region of Catamarca, many of which were still unknown in Europe. He made contributions to the study of alkaloids found in these plants, some of which eventually found therapeutic uses. Some species that were named after him include Gymnocalycium schickendantzii, Echinopsis schickendantzii, Trichocereus schickendantzii, Opuntia schickendantzii, Bulnesia schickendantzii, and Euphorbia schickendantzii.
Together with Lafone Quevedo, Shickendantz wrote a book titled Las Industrias de Catamarca (the industries of Catamarca), which dealt with agriculture, mining, and water conservation in the region.
From 1870 to 1870 he was director of the School of Agronomy, and lecturer of physics and chemistry at the Colegio Nacional. In 1881, he moved from Pilciao to the city of Catamarca, where he became rector of the Colegio Nacional and created a course on applied mineralogy. Later he moved to Tucumán, where he founded the Trinidad sugar mill. He then moved on to direct the chemistry office of the province, where he was a mentor to Miguel Lillo, who later became a renowned Argentine naturalist.
In 1892, Schickendantz moved to Buenos Aires
, where he taught at the Colegio Nacional, and was in charge of the chemistry section of the Museo de la Plata. He died in Buenos Aires in 1896.
Landau
Landau or Landau in der Pfalz is an autonomous city surrounded by the Südliche Weinstraße district of southern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a university town , a long-standing cultural centre, and a market and shopping town, surrounded by vineyards and wine-growing villages of the...
, now in the Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
state of Germany. He studied chemistry and mineralogy at the University of Munich and the University of Heidelberg, under the direction of Robert Bunsen
Robert Bunsen
Robert Wilhelm Eberhard Bunsen was a German chemist. He investigated emission spectra of heated elements, and discovered caesium and rubidium with Gustav Kirchhoff. Bunsen developed several gas-analytical methods, was a pioneer in photochemistry, and did early work in the field of organoarsenic...
.
Schickendantz was one of the attendees of the 1860 Karlsruhe Congress
Karlsruhe Congress
The Karlsruhe Congress was an international meeting of chemists held in Karlsruhe, Germany from 3 to 5 September, 1860. It was the first international conference of chemistry worldwide.- The meeting :...
. In 1861, while he was at Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, he decided to take a job at a mine in Pilciao, Andalgalá
Andalgalá
Andalgalá is a city in the west-center of the province of Catamarca, Argentina, located in a valley near the Sierra de Aconquija, 260 km from the provincial capital San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca. It has about 14,000 inhabitants as per the . It is the head town of the department of the same name...
, in the Argentine province of Catamarca
Catamarca Province
Catamarca is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. The province has a population of 334,568 as per the , and covers an area of 102,602 km². Its literacy rate is 95.5%. Neighbouring provinces are : Salta, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, Córdoba, and La Rioja...
. The mine, called Casa Lafone, was owned by Samuel Fisher Lafone. Schickendantz worked at the mine until 1868; during this time he became a close friend of the supervisor of the mine, Samuel Lafone Quevedo, son of Fisher Lafone and developed what became known as the Schickendantz method for separating gold from copper.
Schickendantz also studied the plants in the region of Catamarca, many of which were still unknown in Europe. He made contributions to the study of alkaloids found in these plants, some of which eventually found therapeutic uses. Some species that were named after him include Gymnocalycium schickendantzii, Echinopsis schickendantzii, Trichocereus schickendantzii, Opuntia schickendantzii, Bulnesia schickendantzii, and Euphorbia schickendantzii.
Together with Lafone Quevedo, Shickendantz wrote a book titled Las Industrias de Catamarca (the industries of Catamarca), which dealt with agriculture, mining, and water conservation in the region.
From 1870 to 1870 he was director of the School of Agronomy, and lecturer of physics and chemistry at the Colegio Nacional. In 1881, he moved from Pilciao to the city of Catamarca, where he became rector of the Colegio Nacional and created a course on applied mineralogy. Later he moved to Tucumán, where he founded the Trinidad sugar mill. He then moved on to direct the chemistry office of the province, where he was a mentor to Miguel Lillo, who later became a renowned Argentine naturalist.
In 1892, Schickendantz moved to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, where he taught at the Colegio Nacional, and was in charge of the chemistry section of the Museo de la Plata. He died in Buenos Aires in 1896.