(Born: Mâcon, France, 4 February 1863; Died: Paris, France, 16 March 1948) French geologist & mineralogist.

Lacroix worked at the Musée National d'Histoire Naturell in Paris. He made wide-ranging research into eruptive rocks, especially the Massif Central, Etna and Vesuvius.

Biographical references: ABF: I 572, 140-153; II 376, 386-389. • Almanach der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien: 98 (1948), 258-62. • American Mineralogist: 34 (1949), nos. 3-4, 242-8, portrait [by J. Orcel]. • Barr, Index to Biographical Fragments, 1973: 146. • Bulletin de la Société Française de Minéralogie: 73 (1950), nos. 7-9, 347-408, portrait [by J. Orcel]. • Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France: Series 5, 19 (1949), 355-409, portrait [by J. Orcel]. • DSB: 7, 548-9 [by M. Hooker]. • ISIS, 1913-65: 2, 35. • Kettner, Radim., "Alfred Lacroix (1863, +1948)", Casopis pro Mineralogii a Geologii, 8, (1963), no. 3, 292-4, portrait. • Mémoire Academie Sci. Institute Francais: Series 2, 67 (1949), 127 p. • Obituary Notices of the Royal Society: 8 (1952), 193-205, portrait. • Poggendorff: 4, 824-5 & 5, 698. • Proceedings of the Geological Society of America: 1949, 183-5, portrait [by A.N. Winchell]. • Sarjeant, Geologists, 1980: 3, 1502 & Suppl. 1 (1986), 2, 573. • Schweiz. Miner. Petrogr. Mitt.: 29 (1949), 199-208. • WBI. • World Who's Who in Science: 984.

Minéraux des Roches. Résumé de Leurs Propriétés Optiques, Cristallographiques et Chimiques. Par A. Michel Lévy et A. Lacroix (Paris, 1888).
See under: Michel-lévy, Auguste.

Tableaux des Minéraux des Roches. Résumé de Leurs Propriétés Optiques, Cristallographiques et Chimiques. Par A. Michel Lévy et A. Lacroix (Paris, 1889).
See under: Michel-lévy, Auguste.

Minéralogie de la France, 1893

1. French, 1893-1913 [First edition].
[In black:] A. Lacroix | [rule] | [in red:] Minéralogie | [in black:] De La France | Et | De Ses Colonies | [rule] | Description Physique Et Chimique Des Minéraux | Études Des Conditions Géologiques | De Leurs Gisements | Tome Premier | Paris | [in red:] Librarie Polytechnique, Baudry Et C^ie, Éditeurs | [in black:] 15, Rue Des Saints-Pères, 15 | Maison A Liège, Rue Des Dominicains, 7 | [rule] | 1893 [-1910] | Tous droits réservés.

5 vols. [Vol 1: 1893-5] 8°: π¹⁰ 2^{8 2}2-45⁸ 46²; 372l.; [i]-xx, [1]-723, [1] p., illus., title page in red and black.; [Vol 2: 1896] 8°: π² 1-50⁸ 51²; 404l.; [4], [1]-804 p., illus., folding table; [Vol 3: 1901] 8°: π² 1-51⁸; 411l.; [i]-vi, [1]-815, [1] p., illus.; [Vol 4: 1910] 8°: π⁴ 1-57⁸ 58⁶; 466l.; [4], [i]-iii, [1], [1]-923, [1] p, illus.; [Vol 5: 1913] 8°: π¹⁰ 2-30⁸ 31¹¹; 253l.; [4], [1]-501, [1] p. Page size: 246 x 160 mm.

Contents: [Vol 1] [i-ii], Half title page, "Minéralogie | De | La France," verso "Le présent volume a été publié en deux facicules, ..."; [iii-iv], Title page, verso blank.; [v]-x, "Introduction."-signed A. Lacroix, 1 July 1892.; [xi]-xviii, "Observations Générales."; [xix]-xx, "Abréviations."; [1]-714, Text.; [715]-719, "Table Des Matières | Du Premier Volume."; [720], Blank.; [721]-723, "Errata."; [1 pg], Blank.

[Vol 2] [2 pgs], Half title page, "Minéralogie | De | La France," verso "Le présent volume a été publié en deux facicules, ..."; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1]-2, "Introduction Du Tome II."-signed A. Lacroix, 2 January 1896.; [3]-799, Text.; [800], Blank.; [801]-804, "Table Des Matières | Du Deuxième Volume."

[Vol 3] [i-ii], Half title page, "Minéralogie | De | La France," verso "Macon Protat Frères, Imprimeus."; [iii-iv], Title page, verso "Ce volume a été publié en | ..."; [v]-vi, "Introduction Du Tome III."-signed A. Lacroix, 1 July 1901.; [1]-812, Text.; [813]-815, "Table Des Matières."; [1 pg], "Errata."

[Vol 4] [2 pgs], Half title page, "Minéralogie | De | La France," verso "Macon Protat Frères, Imprimeus."; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [i]-iii, "Introduction Du Tome IV."-signed A. Lacroix, 1 May 1910.; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-906, Text.; [907]-920, "Table Générale Des Matières."; [921]-923, "Errata."; [1 pg], Blank.

[Vol 5] [2 pgs], Half title page, "Minéralogie | De | La France," verso "Macon Protat Frères, Imprimeus."; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1], "Minéralogie De La France | Deuxième Supplément."; [2], Blank.; [3]-94, Text of mineral descriptions.; [95], "Index Géographique."; [96], Blank.; [97]-460, "Index Géographique | France."; [461]-480, "Table Systématique | Des Espèces Étudiées."; [481]-495, "Table Générale Des Matières."; [496], Blank.; [497]-501, "Errata."; [1 pg], Blank.

Very scarce. Based on several previous French mineralogists as well as Lacroix's own researches, this series concerning France and its colonies is among the best of topographical mineralogies. In each volume after the introduction, the individual minerals are arranged according to a chemical classification. Through Lacroix personal researches he was able to add a great many new mineral species to those already known.

Bibliographical references: Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 75.

Mineralogie de Madagascar, 1922

2. French, 1922-3.
A. Lacroix | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | [rule] | Mineralogie | De | Madagascar | Tome I | Géologie | Minéralogie Descriptive | Ce volume contient 27 planches hors texte, une carte physique en couleurs | 504 esquisses géologiques et figures géométriques. | Paris | Augustin Challamel, Éditeur | Rue Jacob, 17 | Librairie maritime et coloniale. | [rule] | 1922.

3 vols. [Vol 1: 1922] 4°: π⁴ b⁴ 1-78⁴; 320l.; [i]-xvi, [1]-624 p., 27 plates, 1 colored map, 504 figures; [Vol 2: 1922] 4°: π⁴ 1-87⁴; 351l.; [i]-vii, [1], [1]-694, [2] p., 29 plates, 11 figures; [Vol 3: 1923] 4°: π⁴ 1-56⁴ 57¹; 229l.; [i]-vii, [1]-450 p., 8 plates, 1 geological map, 28 figures.

Contents: [Vol 1] [i-ii], Half title page, "Minéralogie | De | Madagascar," verso blank.; [iii-iv], Title page, verso blank.; [v]-xvi, "Préface."-signed A. Lacroix.; [1]-604, Text.; [605]-613, "Explication Des Planches."; [614], Blank.; [615]-624, "Table Des Matières."

[Vol 2] [i-ii], Half title page, "Minéralogie | De | Madagascar," verso blank.; [iii-iv], Title page, verso blank.; [v]-vii, "Avant-Propos."-signed A. Lacroix.; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-665, Text.; [666], Blank.; [667]-672, "Explication Des Planches."; [673]-694, "Table Des Matières."; [2 pgs], Blank.

[Vol 3] [i-ii], Half title page, "Minéralogie | De | Madagascar," verso blank.; [iii-iv], Title page, verso blank.; [v]-viii, "Avant-Propos."-signed A. Lacroix.; [1]-334, Text.; [335]-349, "Bibliographie."; [350], Blank.; [351]-409, "Index Géographique Malgache."; [410], Blank.; [411]-420, "Index Des Noms Géographiques | Étrangers A Madagascar."; [421]-431, "Index Géologique | Lithologique Et Minéralogie."; [432], Blank.; [433]-434, "Errata."; [435]-437, "Errata Des Noms Malgaches."; [438], Blank.; [439]-440, "Explication Des Planches | Du Tome III."; [441]-450, "Table Des Matières | Du Tome III."

Scarce. With the aid of the provincial governor, General Galliéni, Lacroix was able to arrange the methodical collection of specimens throughout locations in the island of Madagascar by using civil servants, military chiefs, correspondents of the Natural History Museum in Paris, etc.

A classic work in the category of regional mineralogies is this set devoted to the Island of Madagascar. The work consists of six parts. The first of these (vol. 1, pp. 1-148) describes the geology and geography of Madagascar. The second (vol. 1, pp. 149-604) is a descriptive mineralogy of the island which lists the 195 species known to occur, together with information on occurrences, analyses and optical determinations. Included in this section are 27 photographic plates, 504 crystal drawings and a large map of the island. The third part treats economic mineralogy (vol. 2, pp. 1-218). Described here are all substances that are mined on the island for profit, including precious metals, common metals, graphite, salt, mica, etc. Twenty-three of the plates as well as a number of sketch maps serve as illustrations. Lithology is covered in the fourth part (vol. 2, pp. 219-665). It includes descriptions of intrusives crystalline massif, the schistose rocks, as well as the pegmatites. A number of plates illustrate thin sections of the rocks. Volume three continues and concludes the fourth part, devoting pages 1-90 to Lithology. The alteration of the rocks to laterite and red earth is described in part five (vol. 3, pp. 91-149), and part six (vol. 3, pp. 150-294) considers the mutual relationships of the rocks, citing comparisons with similar rocks in other parts of the world. Appendices to all three volumes occur after part six on pages 295-334. This is followed by a bibliography (pp. 335-350), and geographic and subject indices (pp. 351-431), which conclude the volume.

Bibliographical references: American Mineralogist: 8 (1923), 96 & 9 (1924), 155. • Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 75. • DSB: 7, 548-9 [by M. Hooker].

3. French, 1932-8.
Alfred Lacroix | Secrétaire Perpétuel De L'Académie Des Sciences | [short rule] | Figures De Savants | [short rule] | Tome I. [-IV.] | [ornament] | Paris | Gauthier-Villars Et C^ie, Éditeurs | Libraires Du Bureau Des Longitudes, De L'École Polytechnique | 55, Quai des Grands-Augustins, 55 | [short rule] | 1932 [-1938].

4 vols. [Vol 1: 1932] 8°: x, 325 p., 32 plates. [Vol 2: 1932] 8°: 356 p., 26 plates. [Vol 3: 1938] 8°: xiii, 220 p., 38 plates. [Vol 4: 1938] 8°: 259 p., 59 plates. Page size: 250 x 160 mm. uncut.

Plates: On the upper left hand corner of each plate appears the descriptor, "A. Lacroix, T. 1. [-4.] - Figures de savants. On the upper right hand corner appears the "Pl." number. Each plate has a description at the bottom. Each plate shows either a portrait or a facsimile of manuscript writing, usually in the form of a letter.

Very scarce. An amazing compilation of biographies of French scientists, who turn out to be mostly naturalists, geologists and mineralogists. The articles are long, in-depth reviews of the life and work of the subject, which is usually richly illustrated with portraits and examples of their correspondence and signatures. The last two volumes, which deal with scientists who worked in French colonies around the world, appear to be especially difficult to acquire. Among the people covered are Georges Cuvier, Marcelin Berthelot, Déodat Dolomieu, Michel Adanson, and Louis Pasteur.

Bibliographical references: Isis: 29 (1938), no. 2, p. 437-440. • NUC.

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