Mineral resources, vital for any society, have historically driven exploration in Iceland through three key phases. Early Icelandic settlers to America and Australia got hooked on gold exploration at the onset of the nineteenth century, and brought this knowledge back when they returned home. In the 1970s, Yugoslav geologist Slobodan Janković led a comprehensive exploration for economic resources, especially metals around large intrusions. The 1990s marked the third phase, linking geothermal systems to gold and metal deposition, exemplified by metal-rich scales in the Reykjanes peninsula. This book covers historical accounts, newspaper stories, and scientific results. The first chapters explore ore deposits in old volcanic centres, silicic bodies and young volcanic systems. The second section covers story-cases about gold, silver and other metals, and also includes a chapter focused on the Faeroe Islands, the nearby archipelago with a similar geology to Iceland.

Iceland is known as “the land of fire and ice”. Those who come to know this country intimately, however, can see that even the island’s inhabitants are full of fire. They are hearty, honest, and proud of their ancestors. This book is dedicated to the Icelandic men and women involved in prospecting and mining of Icelandic coal deposits during the First and Second World Wars. Their effort helped the nation survive cruel periods of war and commercial blockades. The book is the first to provide a self-contained overview of the history of coal mining in Iceland, including extensive introductory chapters on the geology of the island and the origin of coal-bearing formations. The histories of exploratory works, mining methods, and mining companies also find their place in the book. The focal point, however, lies in the description of individual coal mines, ranging from the largest systems of adits and galleries of commercial origin to small pits utilized by local farmers. Besides its historical-economic aspect, the book will be of great significance for the support of geoheritage and the promotion and protection of inanimate nature. It will appeal to a wide range of readers, such as historians, anthropologists, geologists, paleontologists, climatologists, and the general public interested in the history and nature of this beautiful Nordic country.

Interdisciplinary and Sustainability Issues in Food and Agriculture is a component of Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The Theme on Interdisciplinary and Sustainability Issues in Food and Agriculture provides the essential aspects and discusses a number of issues of importance in the development of specific agriculture and food supply systems that are closely related to general developmental trends of humankind. In this context technology and economic development as well as socio-cultural developments affect productivity and a secure supply with food. These three volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.