Ralph Early Grim (February 25, 1902 – August 19, 1989) was an American geologist and scientist, often referred to as the "Father of Mineralogy" because he made many discoveries during his investigations of clay materials.
[1] He was one of the most outstanding mineralogists of his time and was well-known throughout the world in the field of clay science and technology.
[2][citation needed] Grim was born February 25, 1902, in Reading, Pennsylvania, to parents of Scottish and German descent.
His parents were Harry W. Grim, a cigar maker,[3] and Henrietta C. Early,[4][5] daughter of noted Pennsylvanian Lutheran Minister Rev.
At first, he was planning to attend Leigh University after high school graduation but a friend’s father took an interest in him and encouraged him to apply to Yale.
Some of his jobs were selling Fuller Brush products and various magazine subscriptions and working for the Pennsylvania Railroad, replacing telephone or telegraph poles along the rail line.
After resigning as Principal Geologist in 1948, he joined the Geology Department at the University of Illinois as a Research Professor.
His detailed study of clay micas resulted in the definition The Mineralogical Society naming one group.
[1] Bibliography of Grim:[citation needed] 1934 - Petrology of the kaolin deposits near Anna, Illinois: Economic Geology, v. 29, p. 659-670.
1935 - Petrology of the Pennsylvanian shales and noncalcareous underclays associated with Illinois coals: American Ceramic Society Bulletin, v. 14, p. 113-119,129, 134,170-176.
1954 - (and Johns, W. D., Jr., and Bradley, W. F.) Quantitative estimations of clay minerals by diffraction methods: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 24, p. 242-251.
1955 - (and Bradley, W. F.) Structural implications of diagenesis: Geologische Rundschau,Band 43, Heft 2,15 p. 1961 - (and Kulbicki, G.) Montmorillonite—High temperature reaction and classification: American Mineralogy, v. 46, p. 1329-1369.