Earth Materials
Introduction to Mineralogy and Petrology

Designed specifically for one-semester courses, this beautifully illustrated textbook explains the key concepts in mineralogy and petrology.

Cornelis Klein (Author), Anthony Philpotts (Author)

9781316608852, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 15 December 2016

616 pages, 1076 colour illus. 30 tables 360 exercises
27.5 x 22 x 2.2 cm, 1.73 kg

'This latest edition includes a number of new topics …The authors discuss concepts such as heat, work, internal energy, enthalpy, Gibbs free energy, and entropy in a simple, intuitive fashion that most any reader can understand and appreciate … Phase diagrams show the stability fields of minerals in terms of temperature and pressure, and temperature and composition. Another addition to the book is a section on the use of hydraulic fracturing to extract shale oil and gas prospects and its implications on the environment. The authors treat this last topic in a fair and open manner, admitting the potential risks, but also acknowledging the benefits of having this technology to meet the world's energy needs.' The Leading Edge

This concise, accessible, market-leading textbook brings together the wide-ranging fundamentals students need to understand rocks and minerals, and shows them how they relate to the broader Earth, materials and environmental sciences. Designed specifically for one-semester courses, it is beautifully illustrated to explain the key concepts in mineralogy and petrology. This edition has been fully updated based on classroom experience, and new features include a completely new chapter providing an elementary introduction to thermodynamics, kinetics, radioactive decay and absolute dating; new mineral descriptions and many new stunning color photographs; and a new section on hydraulic fracturing and discussion of some of its most serious potential environmental consequences. The book uses stunning photos of mineral specimens and rock thin sections to help students build a core understanding. It also creates a highly effective learning experience through close integration of clear illustrations with engaging text, and helps students to easily visualize crystal structures through the CrystalViewer's 3D software, available online.

1. Introduction
2. Materials of the solid Earth
3. How are minerals identified?
4. Fundamentals of crystal structures
5. Introduction to crystallography
6. Minerals and rocks observed under the polarizing optical microscope
7. Igneous rock-forming minerals
8. The direction and rate of natural processes: an introduction to thermodynamics and kinetics
9. How do igneous rocks form?
10. Igneous rocks: their mode of occurrence, classification, and plate tectonic setting
11. Sedimentary rock-forming minerals and materials
12. Formation, transport, and lithification of sediment
13. Sedimentary rock classification, occurrence, and plate tectonic significance
14. Metamorphic rock-forming minerals
15. Metamorphic rocks
16. Some economic minerals, mainly from veins and pegmatites
17. Some selected Earth materials resources
18. Earth materials and human health.

Subject Areas: Geochemistry [RBGK], Petrology [RBGG], Volcanology & seismology [RBC], Earth sciences [RB], Mineralogy & gems [PNV], Crystallography [PNT]