The book focuses on geological history as the critical factor in determining the present biodiversity and landscapes of Amazonia. The different driving mechanisms for landscape evolution are explored by reviewing the history of the Amazonian Craton, the associated sedimentary basins, and the role of mountain uplift and climate change. This book provdes an insight into the Meso- and Cenozoic record of Amazonia that was characterized by fluvial and long-lived lake systems and a highly diverse flora and fauna. This fauna includes giants such as the ca. 12 m long caiman Purussaurus, but also a varied fish fauna and fragile molluscs, whilst fossil pollen and spores form relics of ancestral swamps and rainforests. Finally, a review the molecular datasets of the modern Amazonian rainforest and aquatic ecosystem, discussing the possible relations between the origin of Amazonian species diversity and the palaeogeographic, palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental evolution of northern South America. The multidisciplinary approach in evaluating the history of Amazonia has resulted in a comprehensive volume that provides novel insights into the evolution of this region.

The Development Potential of Precambrian Mineral Deposits covers several aspects of Precambrian mineral resource potential and assessment towards mineral exploration and mineral reserves. This book contains 27 chapters and begins with an overview of the world production and consumption of certain minerals. The next chapters describe the physical and chemical characteristics of certain mineral ores, as well as the mineral content of certain rock assemblages. These topics are followed by discussions of the geographical distribution of some ores, including discovered metal bearing zones in Africa. Considerable chapters are devoted to exploration techniques in tropical, temperate, and sub-arctic Precambrian areas. The remaining chapters examine the action of metamorphic and other geological processes in mobilizing ore minerals. The book will prove useful to geologists, researchers, and geology students.