FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Tom Mazanec]

How many different definite mineral species have been recognized?
I would guess several thousand...am I right?

[kushmeja]

According to the Mineralogical Society of America, there are over 3,800 unique mineral species. They also state that there are approximately another 30-50 species added each year and a 1 or 2 former species that are discredited each year as well.

[bob kerr]

according to the all knowing and all seeing wikipedia:

The IMA/CNMNC administrates c. 6,500 names,[2] and the Handbook of Mineralogy lists 3,803 species.[3] As of July 2016, the IMA Database of Mineral Properties/ Rruff Project lists 5,141 valid species (IMA/CNMNC) of a total of 5,350 minerals. There are 1,289 Pre-IMA minerals.[4]
The Webmineral.com lists 2,722 published and approved (IMA/CNMNC) minerals, 1,627 pre-IMA minerals, 81 discredited minerals (IMA/CNMNC status), 2,691 synonyms, 149 approved minerals but without a published description yet and 123 "not approved" names.

[crocoite]

Mindat lists 5,071 valid species - https://www.mindat.org/stats.php