Earth Materials - Introduction to Mineralogy and Petrology

Designed specifically for one-semester courses, this beautifully illustrated textbook explains the key concepts in mineralogy and petrology.

Klappentext:

This concise, accessible, market-leading textbook brings together the wide-ranging fundamentals students need to understand rocks and minerals, and shows them how they relate to the broader Earth, materials and environmental sciences. Designed specifically for one-semester courses, it is beautifully illustrated to explain the key concepts in mineralogy and petrology. This edition has been fully updated based on classroom experience, and new features include a completely new chapter providing an elementary introduction to thermodynamics, kinetics, radioactive decay and absolute dating; new mineral descriptions and many new stunning color photographs; and a new section on hydraulic fracturing and discussion of some of its most serious potential environmental consequences. The book uses stunning photos of mineral specimens and rock thin sections to help students build a core understanding. It also creates a highly effective learning experience through close integration of clear illus trations with engaging text, and helps students to easily visualize crystal structures through the CrystalViewer's 3D software, available online.

Inhaltsverzeichnis:

1. Introduction; 2. Materials of the solid Earth; 3. How are minerals identified?; 4. Fundamentals of crystal structures; 5. Introduction to crystallography; 6. Minerals and rocks observed under the polarizing optical microscope; 7. Igneous rock-forming minerals; 8. The direction and rate of natural processes: an introduction to thermodynamics and kinetics; 9. How do igneous rocks form?; 10. Igneous rocks: their mode of occurrence, classification, and plate tectonic setting; 11. Sedimentary rock-forming minerals and materials; 12. Formation, transport, and lithification of sediment; 13. Sedimentary rock classification, occurrence, and plate tectonic significance; 14. Metamorphic rock-forming minerals; 15. Metamorphic rocks; 16. Some economic minerals, mainly from veins and pegmatites; 17. Some selected Earth materials resources; 18. Earth materials and human health.

Rezension:

'Earth Materials is a magnificent textbook that illustrates in a wonderful way how petrology and mineralogy relate to our planet Earth, its formation and modification by igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary processes. Outstanding photographs and detailed thin section images are neatly combined with clear illustrations, fostering the link between observations and fundamental theoretical principles. A new section in the second edition about thermodynamics and kinetics nicely complements the thorough coverage of key concepts in petrology and mineralogy. The available online resources are an essential aid for teaching, and students will benefit from the review questions at the end of each chapter. Earth Materials is simply a great textbook, which I can highly recommend.' Ralf Halama, Keele University