November 12, 2010 - Chalk River, Ontario
Lachlan Cranswick (1968-2010) who worked at the NRC Canadian Neutron Beam Centre located at Chalk River Laboratories is being honoured posthumously for his scientific work in crystallography.
As a crystallographer and mineralogist, Lachlan specialized in applying neutron beams to the studies of materials science, structural chemistry, magnetism and geology. He assisted many scientists and students from universities across Canada to apply these scientific tools to advance their research programs. Lachlan Cranswick was passionate about ensuring access to the highest quality facilities for those scientists.
Mr. Cranswick's accomplishments have been honoured in the naming of a new mineral, 'cranswickite.'
Small deposits of cranswickite were found near Calingasta, Argentina while testing an instrument that is scheduled to be aboard the next NASA mission to Mars. Professor R.C. Peterson of Queen's University analyzed samples and determined cranswickite to have a unique chemical composition, MgSO4 ยท 4H2O, and atomic structure previously unobserved in nature.
Mr. Cranswick disappeared from his home in January 2010 and eluded an extensive search. His body was discovered months later in the Ottawa River. After hearing of his disappearance, Dr. Peterson applied to the International Mineralogical Association to have the new mineral named "cranswickite." The association approved the name and published a short description in Mineralogical Magazine in August. Dr. Peterson has submitted the full scientific description of cranswickite for publication in the journal, American Mineralogist.
