Cronstedt, Axel Fredrik

Axel Fredrik Cronstedt, (born Dec. 23, 1722, Turinge, Sweden—died Aug. 19, 1765, Säter), Swedish mineralogist and chemist noted for his work on the chemistry of metallic elements and for his efforts to establish a new mineralogical system. He is also credited with developing an experimental procedure involving the systematic use of blowpipes for analyzing the chemical composition of minerals.

Cronstedt was the first to isolate nickel (1751). He also made a detailed analysis of calcium tungstate, a previously unknown mineral of high specific gravity, and studied the properties of gypsum and a hydrous mineral he named zeolite. Such experiments revealed certain laws governing the internal structure of minerals and enabled him to establish a distinction between simple minerals and rock minerals, which are composed of a mixture of several minerals.