The Illustrated Guide to Minerals of the World The Ultimate Field Guide and Visual Aid to 220 Species and Varieties

About this book

This is the ultimate photographic guide to 250 of the world's most essential minerals. From precious native elements such as silver, gold and copper to complex silicates such as vesuvianite, first discovered in limestone blocks ejected by Mount Vesuvius, each one exemplifies the wonder of nature.

Often emanating from the parent rock in brilliant colours and weird and wonderful textures, minerals are the pride of any geological collection. &l
From the green, gold and blue iridescent sheen of labradorescence to the large, wheat-sheaf shaped crystals formed by stilbite, many minerals are a visual treat, and check-boxes on crystal habit, colour, lustre and specific gravity will help the amateur geologist to identify and categorize all finds accordingly.

A stunning visual introduction to mineral-forming environments covers key geological processes such as tectonic movements, volcanoes, rock- and ore-forming, and looks at the physical and visual properties that make minerals so unique.

Information on exploring the landscape using geological maps and other tools will enable the collector to extract samples safely, and is further bolstered by the list of notable locations given in the directory. Special feature boxes build a bigger picture of the key factors behind mineral formation and their relationship to rocks, plus the important discoveries by scientists that have not only helped to explain the evolution of the natural world, but also formed the entire basis of the industrial age.

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