A handy guide identifying over 170 types of the world’s gemstones with beautiful colour photography taken from the Smithsonian Institution’s archives.‘Gem Gemstones’ is an indispensable guide for amateurs and enthusiasts alike. This pocket-sized book explores the fascinating history of ornamental stones, discussing their different social and cultural meanings and monetary values through the ages.Each page features specific details about the crystal system, hardness, composi...

What does it take for a volcanic eruption to really shake the world? Did volcanic eruptions extinguish the dinosaurs, or help humans to evolve, only to decimate their populations with a super-eruption 73,000 years ago? Did they contribute to the ebb and flow of ancient empires, the French Revolution and the rise of fascism in Europe in the 19th century? These are some of the claims made for volcanic cataclysm. Volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer explores rich geological, historical, archaeolog...

Mother Nature is definitely a wonderful provider! She gives us not only the things we need but also the things we’d love to see. This educational book is a collection of all best natural wonders of the world. Through this book, your child will get to learn and appreciate the sights found from all over the world. This will raise awareness and responsibility towards environmental care. Buy a copy today!

This book contains a wealth of information on all aspects of pearls, saltwater and freshwater, their appearance, diagnostic properties, common treatments and imitations.Designed for the beginner or experienced, it will greatly assist those wishing to find out more about how to correctly identify pearls.There is information on the physical and optical properties of pearls. There is also details on the correct readings for pearls, from various gemmological instruments, which ...

Immerse yourself in the heritage and craft of gemstone faceting with this curated collection of classic articles originally published in the early 1900s and before.Selected for their lasting value and relevance, the writings reveal the methods, tools and equipment historically used by gem cutters to create beautifully faceted stones, all preserved with original text and illustrations.Contents include:The Art of Gem Cutting by Fred S. Young

In 1866 William P. Blake, professor of mineralogy, geology and mining at the College of California, parent to the University of California, Berkeley, prepared as a report to the State Board of Agriculture an "Annotated Catalog of the Principal Mineral Species Hitherto Recognized in California and the adjoining States and Territories. " Seventy-seven mineral species appeared on the list. It was the beginning of a series that became known as Minerals of California. This first catalog was fol...

In the last decade, numerous studies have demonstrated the existence of alternative pathways to nucleation and crystallisation that oppose the classical view. Such proposed scenarios include multistage reactions proceeding via various precursor species and/or intermediate phases. The aim of this book is to review and discuss these recent advances in our understanding of the early stages of mineralisation through a series of contributions that address both experimental and theoretical studi...

Zeolites form a family of minerals which have been known since the 18th century, but they remained a curiosity for scientists and collectors until 60 years ago, when their unique physicochemical properties attracted the attention of many researchers. In the past 30 years there has been an ex traordinary development in zeolite science; six International Conferences on Zeolites have been held every 3 years since 1967, and a large number of interesting contributions have been published in the...

Statistical evaluations of exploration data are the basis for decisions to be made at various stages of an exploration project. In contrast to other geostatistical books, Statistical Evaluations in Exploration for Mineral Deposits focuses not only on theory, but examples are also given, frequently originating from experience in mineral exploration by the author who worked worldwide for a mining company. Together with its companion volume, Economi...

Hydrogeology of Crystalline Rocks deals with deep groundwater in the granite and gneiss basement of the continents. It has become evident during the past years that highly mineralized water is present in an interconnected fracture network of the basement. Thus, the upper part of the crust of the continents can be viewed as an aquifer and investigated with tools common in hydrogeology.This book presents accounts on water-conducting features of crystalline rocks and summarize...

The fifth volume in this series is focused on the chemical and physical interactions between rocks undergoing metamorphism and the fluids that they generate and that pass through them. The recognition that such pro cesses can profoundly affect the course of metamorphism has resulted in a number of recent papers and we consider that it is time for a review by some of the interested parties. We hope our selection of contributors provides an adequate cross section and demonstrates some of the...