Lehmann, Johann Gottlob

Lehmann, Johann Gottlob (?-1767), German mineralogist and geologist, was educated at Berlin where he took his degree of doctor of medicine. He became a teacher of mineralogy and mining in that city, and was afterwards (1761) appointed professor of chemistry and director of the imperial museum at St Petersburg. While distinguished for his chemical and mineralogical researches, he may also be regarded as one of the pioneers in geological investigation. Although he accepted the view of a universal deluge, he gave in 1756 careful descriptions of the rocks and stratified formations in Prussia, and introduced the now familiar terms Zechstein and Rothes Todtliegendes (Rothliegende) for subdivisions of the strata since grouped as Permian. His chief observations were published in Versuch einer Geschichte von Flötz-Gebūrgen, betreffend deren Entstehung, Lage, darinne befindliche Metallen, Mineralien und Fossilien (1756). He died at St Petersburg on the 22nd of January 1767.