René Arturo San Martín y Saenz, Cuban mineralogist and petrographer (La Habana 1888 – 12 August 1956)

Contributions

He would have set up one of the best laboratories of mineralogical optics in the world

Confirmed that polarization colors aren’t pure

Modified Van Valkeburgh-Crwaford method for identification of elements to the point of converting it into a new method (1944)

Modified the mineralogical assay by fusion employing ammonium phosphates

Developed deflagration test in a closed tube to identify mineral elements

Methods

Un nuevo procedimiento rapido para el reconocimiento del elemento electro-positivo de alguns sulfuros, arseniuros y sulfosales naturales. Mem. Soc. Cub. Hist. Nat. (1922)

With A.L. Bitencourt. Un nuevo metodo para el ensayo del mercurio em los minerales

Patents

Foreign

Variable mercury-condenser. US Pat1,108,793 (1914)

Cuban

With J. Embil Bollada. Un procedimiento para transformar corrientes electricas en vibraciones mecanicas y sonoras (1924)

With J. Embil Bollada. Un dispositivo destinado a reproducir com fuerte intensidad señales acusticas originada ser la electricidad y utilizable ventajosamente en circuitos telefonicos, telegraficos, radiotelefonicos y radiotelegraficos,etc y aplicable a outros fines cientificos e industriuales (1924)

Honors

His mineralogical collection “Santiago de la Huerta” was praised and declared unique in the world

The publishing company John Wiley & Sons sent him mineralogical handbooks for review