It's the classic work revised and updated! Identify over 500 of the most collectible minerals quickly and easily with this fully photographed field guide. And this new reissue makes identification easier, with new cleavability ratings for each entry alongside the handy classifications based on streak colour, Mohs' hardness and specific gravity. A complete introductory discussion of mineral forms and properties explains the essential criteria for recognition, and each of the hundreds of minerals (from Ankerite to Zinwaldite) is accompanied by information on its fracture, luster, chemical formula, aggregates, distinguishing characteristics and localities.

Describes more than five hundred minerals, providing such information as the mineral's crystallography, chemical properties, occurence, and names and varieties.

Minerals existed long before any forms of life, playing a key role in the origin and evolution of life; an interaction with biological systems that we are only now beginning to understand. Exploring the traditional strand of mineralogy, which emphasises the important mineral families, the well-established analytical methods (optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction) and the dramatic developments made in techniques over recent decades, David Vaughan also introduces the modern strand of mineralogy, which explores the role minerals play in the plate tectonic cycle and how they interact with the living world. Demonstrating how minerals can be critical for human health and illness by providing essential nutrients and releasing poisons, Vaughan explores the multitude of ways in which minerals have aided our understanding of the world. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

A reference to more than six hundred minerals, with color photographs of each type and an explanation of their forms and properties.

A sweeping survey of the fluorescent minerals of the world shown both in daylight and under the ultraviolet light. Written for the collector and the merely curious, this pictorial reference will capture your attention with its 825 color photos and informative text. It is an essential source for enjoying and identifying fluorescent minerals.

Rare specimens of minerals and crystals from private and public collections are depicted in color plates and descriptive notes.