Alphonse Briart (1825–1898) was supervisor of the coal mines at Bascoup and Mariemont near Morlanwelz in the Hainaut province of Belgium, and a geologist who studied that region. During the period 1863–1896 he and Francois Cornet published a number of books and papers describing fossils and geological structures found near Mons. They devised theories - now generally accepted - as to the geological history of the region. After Cornet's death in 1887, Briart continued to write alone.
The mineral Briartite is named for his grandson, Gaston Briart. In 1890 his son Paul took part in Delcommune's Katanga expedition.
Life events
Briart was born at Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont, then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands on 25 February 1825, the son of a military surgeon. In 1844 he graduated from the École des Mines in Mons as an engineer. For most of his career, he worked for the Mariemont & Bascoup coal-mining company. In 1868 he was appointed the company's Chief Engineer, and in 1888 the company's president.
Briart became a corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Belgium in 1867, and a full member in 1874. In 1889 he became head of the Sciences section.