Natale Perchiazzi, Associate professor, University of Pisa, Italy

The material collected in the 19th century in the former French colonies and preserved in the mineralogical collections of MNHN represents a heritage of relevant scientific and historical interest, an “unicum” deserving a relevant valorization. It is described in a series of scientific publications and treatises, as the renowned “Minéralogie de la France et ses colonies” a monumental work by A. Lacroix.
We propose the study of a series of rare Zr-Nb-Ti disilicates  sampled in colonial age in African nephelinic syenites, partially characterized with incomplete optical or chemical data only, to fully define their true nature through a combined multidisciplinary approach.
The objectives of our research are:
- a valorization of the historical collections of MNHN
- a full characterization of several rare Zr-Nb-Ti disilicates, with a focus on the discovery of new mineral species
Our results will be of interest, besides geologists, also to applied research, given the relevance of rare Zr-Nb-Ti disilicates phases  as sources for strategic metals.