About Jack Zussman
Jack Zussman, 100, British crystallographer and mineralogist (An Introduction to the Rock-Forming Minerals).
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Full Biography
|Jack Zussman (31 July 1924 – 30 August 2024) was a British crystallographer and mineralogist. He was professor of geology and head of the department of geology at the University of Manchester from 1967 to 1989. He is best known for his co-authorship of a series of reference books that summarise the physical, chemical and optical properties of the rock forming minerals that were published between 1962 and 2013, which are widely known as Deer, Howie and Zussman or DHZ.
Early life
Zussman was born in London in 1924, and lived in east London. He went to school at Coopers' Company's school in Bow. In 1939, he was evacuated to Frome in Somerset, where he lived and finished his schooling. He was called up for military service in 1943. Zussman served with the Royal Navy as a radar mechanic on HMS Caesar. His service included escorting convoys to Arctic ports of the Soviet Union, for which he was later awarded the Ushakov medal and the Arctic Star. Once the war ended, he took up a place at Downing College, Cambridge to study physics.
Career
Zussman began his work on crystallography during a PhD at the University of Cambridge, where he was based at the Cavendish Laboratories. He published several early papers on the structure of nucleotides, with chemist Alex Todd, and amino acids. In 1952, he took up a position in mineralogy and crystallography, in the geology department at the University of Manchester. He began working on the structure of silicate minerals, including the amphiboles and serpentine group minerals.
In 1962, he was appointed reader in mineralogy at the University of Oxford, where he was also fellow of St Cross College, Oxford from 1965 to 1967. Zussman returned to Manchester to take up the Chair of Geology and post of head of department in 1967. Zussman remained as head of department for 22 years, until his retirement in 1989. In 1969, Zussman was one of a few scientists who had access to some of the newly collected samples of moon rock for research investigations. One moon rock sample was placed on display in a museum in Manchester for a week, just two months after being collected by Neil Armstrong. Later, Zussman recalled overhearing a visitor say ‘I’ve seen something like that in our grate’ on seeing the dark and bubbly samples of lunar lava.
The mineral zussmanite was named in his honour in 1964 by mineralogist Stuart Agrell.
Zussman was dean of the faculty of science at Manchester from 1980 to 1981, and president of the Mineralogical Society from 1980 to 1981. In 1982, he was one of the founder members of the British Crystallographic Association.
In 2019, Zussman published a brief history of geology at the University of Manchester with his colleague, geologist David Vaughan.
The rock-forming minerals
In 1961, it was announced that Jack Zussman and two fellow mineralogists who were also at the University of Manchester, Bob Howie and Alex Deer were working on a book on rock-forming minerals. The first volume, on ortho- and ring-silicates, was published in 1962, and by 1963, the five-volume set was already known as 'Deer, Howie and Zussman'. Zussman and colleagues kept working on the reference set for the rest of their careers, and long into retirement. By 2013 the full set included eleven volumes on specific mineral groups, along with three editions of an abridged version An Introduction to the Rock-Forming Minerals.
Personal life and death
In 1960, Zussman married Judy, a nurse at the Manchester Royal Infirmary. Zussman turned 100 on 31 July 2024, and died one month later on 30 August 2024. Judy Zussman died in April 2025.
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Zussman
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Jack Zussman's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what city was Jack Zussman born in 1924?
- A.Londoncorrect
- B.Somerset
- C.Manchester
- D.Cambridge
Jack Zussman was born in London in 1924.
Source: Early life
2.Which branch of the military did Jack Zussman serve in during World War II?
- A.Royal Navycorrect
- B.Royal Air Force
- C.Royal Marines
- D.British Army
Jack Zussman served with the Royal Navy as a radar mechanic on HMS Caesar.
Source: Early life
3.What subject did Jack Zussman study at Downing College, Cambridge?
- A.Mineralogy
- B.Physicscorrect
- C.Chemistry
- D.Geology
After the war ended, Jack Zussman took up a place at Downing College, Cambridge to study physics.
Source: Early life
4.Where did Jack Zussman perform his PhD research on crystallography?
- A.University of Oxford
- B.St Cross College
- C.University of Cambridgecorrect
- D.University of Manchester
Jack Zussman began his work on crystallography during a PhD at the University of Cambridge.
Source: Career
5.In what year did Jack Zussman retire as the head of the geology department at the University of Manchester?
- A.1981
- B.1989correct
- C.1967
- D.2013
Jack Zussman remained as head of department for 22 years, until his retirement in 1989.
Source: Career
6.Which professional role did Jack Zussman hold from 1980 to 1981?
- A.President of the Mineralogical Societycorrect
- B.Vice Chancellor of Manchester University
- C.Dean of the faculty of arts
- D.Head of St Cross College
Jack Zussman was dean of the faculty of science and president of the Mineralogical Society from 1980 to 1981.
Source: Career
7.Who named the mineral zussmanite in honour of Jack Zussman in 1964?
- A.Alex Deer
- B.Stuart Agrellcorrect
- C.Bob Howie
- D.David Vaughan
The mineral zussmanite was named in his honour in 1964 by mineralogist Stuart Agrell.
Source: Career
8.What is the common abbreviation used for the reference books co-authored by Jack Zussman?
- A.DHZcorrect
- B.ACZ
- C.JZR
- D.RMZ
The series of reference books are widely known as Deer, Howie and Zussman or DHZ.
Source: Introduction
9.In what year was the first volume of the rock-forming minerals book published?
- A.1989
- B.1967
- C.1962correct
- D.1961
The first volume, on ortho- and ring-silicates, was published in 1962.
Source: The rock-forming minerals
10.What was the name of Jack Zussman's wife?
- A.Alice
- B.Judycorrect
- C.Mary
- D.Sarah
In 1960, Jack Zussman married Judy, a nurse at the Manchester Royal Infirmary.
Source: Personal life and death
11.Which war-related award was given to Jack Zussman for his service on Arctic convoys?
- A.Both the Arctic Star and the Ushakov medalcorrect
- B.Arctic Star
- C.Ushakov medal
- D.Victoria Cross
Jack Zussman was later awarded the Ushakov medal and the Arctic Star.
Source: Early life
12.What was the occupation of Judy Zussman before she married Jack Zussman?
- A.Teacher
- B.Crystallographer
- C.Nursecorrect
- D.Geologist
Jack Zussman married Judy, a nurse at the Manchester Royal Infirmary.
Source: Personal life and death
13.At what institution was Jack Zussman a fellow from 1965 to 1967?
- A.St Cross Collegecorrect
- B.Cavendish Laboratories
- C.University of Manchester
- D.Downing College
Jack Zussman was a fellow of St Cross College, Oxford from 1965 to 1967.
Source: Career
14.How many editions of the abridged version of the mineral book were there by 2013?
- A.Five
- B.Threecorrect
- C.Eleven
- D.Fourteen
By 2013 the full set included eleven volumes, along with three editions of an abridged version.
Source: The rock-forming minerals
15.Jack Zussman died at the age of 100 on which date?
- A.30 August 2024correct
- B.31 July 2024
- C.31 August 2024
- D.30 September 2024
Jack Zussman turned 100 on 31 July 2024, and died one month later on 30 August 2024.
Source: Personal life and death
16.Who collaborated with Jack Zussman on the 2019 publication regarding the history of geology at Manchester?
- A.Alex Deer
- B.Stuart Agrell
- C.Bob Howie
- D.David Vaughancorrect
In 2019, Jack Zussman published a brief history of geology at the University of Manchester with his colleague, geologist David Vaughan.
Source: Career
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