From teaching experience. XVI. Mineral associations: contiguity, paragenesis, parasteresis. Celebrating the 260th anniversary of the birth of V. M. Severgin

The article reviews the history of the concept of paragenesis in mineralogy and petrography. The concepts of «contiguity» by V. M. Severgin and «paragenesis» by A. Breithaupt are compared, contradictions in the discussion of priority are removed. The genetic (causal), paragenetic, parasteric and random (correlated) relationships between mineral associations are studied. The importance of knowledge of the history of science and accordingly reading primary sources is stressed. The article is intended for teachers and students of geological faculties of universities, but can also be used by teachers of secondary schools in optional lessons. The text is accompanied by rare photos from the archive of Professor D. P. Grigoriev placed in the Russian Mineralogical Society.