Abbreviation | IMA |
---|---|
Formation | 1958 |
Type | INGO |
Region served
|
Worldwide |
Official language
|
English |
President
|
Walter V. Maresch |
Parent organization
|
International Council for Science (ICSU) |
Website | IMA Official website |
The International Mineralogical Association (IMA) is an international group of 38 national societies. The goal is to promote the science of mineralogy and to standardize the nomenclature of the 4000 plus known mineral species. The IMA is affiliated with the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS).
Working Groups and Commissions
The most active IMA commission is the Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names (CNMMN). It was founded in 1959 to coordinate the assigning of new mineral names, revision of existing names and discreditation of invalid species. Traditionally, the validation procedure of new minerals is one of the chairman's tasks and the discreditation or revalidation procedure of invalid species are two of the vice-chairman's tasks. In July 2006 a merger between the CNMMN and the Commission on Classification of Minerals (CCM), initiated at the request of both commissions, resulted in the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC).
Members of the IMA
Among the societies represented at the IMA are: