Fausto Elhuyar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fausto Elhuyar
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Fausto Elhuyar
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| Born | 11 October 1755 |
| Died | 6 February 1833 (aged 77) Madrid, Spain
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| Nationality | Spanish |
| Known for | Tungsten |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry |
Fausto de Elhuyar (born October 11, 1755 – died February 6, 1833) was a Spanish chemist. He is famous for being the first person to separate the metal tungsten. He did this with his brother, Juan José Elhuyar, in 1783.
Fausto Elhuyar also played a big role in setting up the School of Mines in México City. He oversaw the building of the beautiful "Palacio de Minería". This building is considered a masterpiece of architecture. He left Mexico after the Mexican War of Independence, when many Spanish people had to leave the country.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Fausto Elhuyar was born in Logroño, La Rioja, Spain. His parents were from a region in France called Hasparren.
From 1773 to 1777, Fausto studied many subjects in Paris. He learned about medicine, surgery, and chemistry. He also studied mathematics, physics, and natural history. His brother, Juan José Elhuyar, studied with him.
Becoming a Mineral Expert
After finishing his studies, Fausto returned to Spain. He focused on studying mineralogy, which is the study of minerals. He spent a lot of time in the Basque Country and Navarre.
In 1781, he joined the Real Sociedad Bascongada de Amigos del País. This was an important group that promoted new ideas. Thanks to them, he became a professor. He taught mineralogy and metallurgy in Bergara. This town was home to both the society and the University of Vergara.
During these years, Fausto wrote many articles. These papers were about minerals and how to get them out of the ground. He also wrote about how to make them pure. His work made him well-known across Europe as a top expert.
Discovering Tungsten
In 1780, Fausto Elhuyar started working in a chemistry lab in Vergara. He worked with another scientist named François Chavaneau. Together, they were the first to make platinum pure.
After several months, Fausto made a huge discovery. He was the first person to find and separate tungsten. He is credited with this discovery along with his brother, Juan José. He also worked with Joseph-Louis Proust, a famous French chemist. Proust directed the National Laboratory in Segovia, Spain.
Travels and Recognition
In 1783, Fausto visited several universities in Europe. He went to the School of Mines of Freiberg. There, he gave talks about metallurgy and mining machines. He also visited the University of Uppsala and worked with Torbern Olof Bergman.
He then went to Köping and met Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Scheele was the one who announced Elhuyar's discovery of tungsten. For some reason, Scheele is sometimes given credit for the discovery himself.
Work in Mexico
After returning to Spain in 1785, Fausto left his teaching job. In July 1786, he was made the General Director of Mines in Mexico. Before going to his new job, he traveled around Europe again. From 1786 to 1788, he studied a method for refining silver. During this trip, he married Joan Raab in Vienna in 1787.
For the next 33 years, he lived in Mexico City. The Spanish king founded the city's School of Mines on January 1, 1792. Fausto Elhuyar became its first director.
Building the Palacio de Minería
During his time as director, he ordered and managed the building of the Palacio de Minería. This grand building was finished in 1813. It is seen as one of the most beautiful examples of neoclassicism in Spanish America.
Fausto also visited and improved many of Mexico's royal mines. He introduced new ways of mining. This greatly increased how much they could produce. He also helped Alexander von Humboldt during his visit to New Spain. Humboldt was a famous explorer and scientist. Elhuyar and other mining experts shared their knowledge. This helped Humboldt write a detailed section on mining in his book, Political essay on the Kingdom of New Spain.
Later Life and Legacy
After Mexico became independent, Fausto Elhuyar went back to Spain. Because he knew so much about modern mining, he was made Minister of Mining in 1822. He oversaw the modern mining of mines in Almadén, Guadalcanal, and Río Tinto.
After leaving his ministry job, he was again made General Director of Mines. He continued his chemistry research from this quieter position. He passed away in Madrid on January 6, 1833.
See also
In Spanish: Fausto Delhuyar para niños
