John Sinkankas
John Sinkankas | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 15, 1915 Paterson, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | May 17, 2002 (aged 87) |
| Occupation(s) | Navy officer, aviator, gemologist, gem carver, faceter, rare bookseller, bibliographer |
| Years active | 1937–2002 |
| Known for | Gemology, mineralogy, naval aviation |
John Sinkankas (May 15, 1915 – May 17, 2002) was a multifaceted professional known as a US Navy officer and aviator, as well as an expert gemologist, gem carver, and faceter. He authored numerous publications on minerals and gemstones and was also a distinguished rare bookseller and bibliographer.
Early life
John Sinkankas was born in Paterson, New Jersey to Lithuanian immigrant parents Joseph Sinkankas and Domicelė Klimas. His fascination with minerals began early through collecting crystals like apophyllite, prehnite, quartz, and calcite found in nearby quarries. He participated in excursions led by Dr. James Morton, curator of the Paterson Museum, exploring various mines and quarries. During high school, he developed an interest in aviation, constructing a glider and interacting with pioneering aviators at Teterboro Airport. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from New Jersey State Teacher's College (which later became William Paterson College). In 1940, he married Marjorie Jane McMichael, and together they had four children.
Sinkankas completed his training at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida in 1937, becoming Navy Aviator number 5390. Throughout World War II, he piloted patrol seaplanes on convoy escort and anti-submarine operations. Among his notable assignments was flying Colonel Bernt Balchen over Greenland to collect mineral samples, including specimens from the renowned cryolite deposit at Ivigtut. He concluded his naval career with the rank of Captain in 1961.
Gemology
In 1951, Sinkankas launched his prolific gemological writing career by contributing the column The Amateur Lapidary to Rocks and Minerals. Over time, he produced more than 130 articles published in leading industry periodicals such as Lapidary Journal, Gems and Gemology, Journal of Gemology, and American Mineralogist. His expertise in gem cutting and faceting is exemplified by creations like a 7,000-carat rock crystal egg and a 2,054-carat golden beryl, both exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution. Additional works reside in collections at the Royal Ontario Museum and the American Museum of Natural History. As a recognized micromounter, Sinkankas has been listed in the International Directory of Micromounters by the Baltimore Mineralogical Society since 1966.
Sinkankasite
The mineral named after him, Sinkankasite, with the chemical formula H2MnAl(PO4)2(OH)•6(H2O), crystallizes in the triclinic system. It typically appears as colorless crystals ranging from bladed to prismatic forms up to 4 mm in size. This mineral often occurs as divergent radial clusters or pseudomorphs replacing triphlyte crystals. Significant localities include the Barker pegmatite near Keystone, South Dakota and the Palermo pegmatite in North Groton, New Hampshire.
Bookseller and bibliographer
Together with his wife, Sinkankas established Peri Lithon Books to provide specialized resources for earth science professionals. The company’s name translates from Greek as "about stones," paying tribute to the ancient treatise Peri Lithon by Theophrastus, which is considered a seminal text on minerals.
As a bibliographer focused on gemological history, Sinkankas curated the John and Marjorie Sinkankas Gemological Library. This extensive collection was eventually acquired by the Gemological Institute of America. It included roughly 350 archive boxes encompassing about 750 linear feet of shelving space filled with nearly 8,000 books, 6,000 pamphlets, along with scientific reprints and offprints. This acquisition expanded the holdings of the Richard T. Liddicoat Library and Gemological Information Center by more than 20,000 items.
Honors
Sinkankas was recognized as a Fellow of the Mineralogical Society of America and held honorary fellowships or memberships in numerous institutions, such as the Gemmological Association All-Japan, Mineralogical Association of Canada, Rochester Academy of Sciences, San Diego Mineral and Gem Society, and Washington, DC's Cosmos Club.
In 1982, he was honored with the "Distinguished Associate Award" by the Gemological Institute of America and received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from William Paterson College. Later, in 1989, he earned the esteemed Carnegie Mineralogical Award.
Publications
- Sinkankas, John. 2000. "William Maclure and the Library of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia". Earth Sciences History. 19: 33–35.
- Sinkankas, John. 1999. "What Is Polishing? The art of shaping and polishing gems is ancient; recent studies explore technical aspects." Lapidary Journal. 52 (11): 51–56.
- Sinkankas, John. 1998. Gem cutting: a lapidary's manual. Moscow: "Mir". [Translation]
- Schneer, Cecil J., and John Sinkankas. 1994. "Review of Gemology: An Annotated Bibliography". Isis. 85 (3).
- Sinkankas, John. 1994. "Collecting Mineralogical Bookplates". Rocks & Minerals. 69 (2): 108–111.
- Miller, Anna M., John Sinkankas et al. 1994. Standard catalog of gem values. Tucson: Geoscience Press.
- Sinkankas, John. 1993. Gemology: an annotated bibliography. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press.
- Sinkankas, John et al. 1992. "Peridot as an Interplanetary Gemstone". Gems & Gemology. 28 (1): 43–51.
- Sinkankas, John. 1991. Gem cutting. Taibei Shi: Xu shi ji jin hui.
- Sinkankas, John. 1988. Field collecting gemstones and minerals. Prescott, Ariz: Geoscience Press.
- Sinkankas, John and Peter G. Read. 1986. Beryl. London: Butterworths.
- Sinkankas, John. 1981. Emerald and Other Beryls. Chilton.
- Sinkankas, John. 1974. Gemstone & Mineral Data Book. New York: Colliers.
- Sinkankas, John. 1959. Gemstones of North America. Princeton: D Van Nostrand Company, Inc.
Bibliography
- Burns P C, Hawthorne F C. 1995. "Sinkankasite." American Mineralogist, 80 (1995) pages 620–627.
- Mitchell, Richard S. 1986. "Who's Who in Mineral Names; John Sinkankas." Rocks and Minerals. Volume 61 (1), pages 28–31.
- Nassau, Kurt. July 1989. "Dr. John Sinkankas: invaluable contributor to gemology and mineralogy; his collection now part of the Gemological Institute of America." Lapidary Journal, 43(4), pages 42–49.
- Peacor, D.R. 1984. "Sinkankasite, a new phosphate from the Barker pegmatite, South Dakota." American Mineralogist. Volume 69, pages 380-382.
- Wright, Quintin. 2003. "Microminerals: John Sinkankas, Micromounter." The Mineralogical Record. Volume 34 (2), pages 179–182.
- Baranauckas, Carla. 2002. "John Sinkankas Dies at 87; Expert on Precious Stones." The New York Times, 16 June.