Manganese mineralization is diverse in occurence, origin, mineralogy and geochemistry. This volume includes a review of the range of terrestrial Mn deposits and their relative abundance through geological time. Experimental and modelling approaches to Mn geochemistry and mineralogy can further aid our understanding of the formational and depositational processes involved and thereby our interpretation of deposit metallogenesis.

As the importance and dependence of specific mineral commodities increase, so does concern about their supply. The United States is currently 100 percent reliant on foreign sources for 20 mineral commodities and imports the majority of its supply of more than 50 mineral commodities. Mineral commodities that have important uses and face potential supply disruption are critical to American economic and national security. However, a mineral commodity's importance and the nature of its supply chain can change with time; a mineral commodity that may not have been considered critical 25 years ago may be critical today, and one considered critical today may not be so in the future. The U.S. Geological Survey has produced this volume to describe a select group of mineral commodities currently critical to our economy and security. For each mineral commodity covered, the authors provide a comprehensive look at (1) the commodity's use; (2) the geology and global distribution of the mineral deposit types that account for the present and possible future supply of the commodity; (3) the current status of production, reserves, and resources in the United States and globally; and (4) environmental considerations related to the commodity's production from different types of mineral deposits. The volume describes U.S. critical mineral resources in a global context, for no country can be self-sufficient for all its mineral commodity needs, and the United States will always rely on global mineral commodity supply chains. This volume provides the scientific understanding of critical mineral resources required for informed decisionmaking by those responsible for ensuring that the United States has a secure and sustainable supply of mineral commodities.

This publication consists of papers delivered at an International Symposium of the International Association of Sedimentologists held at Beijing, Peoples' Republic of China in August, 1988. The theme of the symposium was sedimentology related to mineral deposits and incorporated meetings of three International Geological Correlation Programmes (IGCP) Projects; IGCP 219 on Comparative Lacustrine Sedimentology in Space and Time, IGCP 226 on Manganese Deposits, and IGCP 254 on Metalliferous Black Shales. This book is intended for earth scientists and advanced students studying/working in the areas of sedimentology, petroleum geology, ore geology and economic geology.