𝔖 Bobbio Scriptorium
✦   LIBER   ✦

Sedimentary Petrography by Henry B. Milner. 2 vols, of 643 and 715 pp., numerous photographs, photomicrographs, and figures. Fourth revised edition. George Allen and Unwin Ltd., London, 1962. Price £5 per vol


Book ID
102225748
Publisher
John Wiley and Sons
Year
2007
Tongue
English
Weight
230 KB
Volume
3
Category
Article
ISSN
0072-1050

No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.

✦ Synopsis


xv MINERALS, R O d AND GEMSTONES by Rudolf Borner (Translated and edited by W. Mykura). 250 pp., 7 figs., 14 coloured plates. Oliver & Boyd Ltd., Edinburgh, 1962. Price 25s.

This book is a guide to identification of rocks and minerals with a special emphasis on precious and semi-precious varieties. The volume is divided into three parts--on minerals, rocks and gemstones respectively. Each part, in addition to numerous identification tables, has a short general introduction. Throughout the book, macroscopic characters of minerals and rocks are used as indices of identification. As an elementary reference book the volume is full of useful information.

The use of colour plates will make it very attractive to amateurs, and even serious collectors may find it useful. It is, however, unfortunate that chemical formulae of minerals are not standardized. There does not seem to be any reason why the formula for arfvedsonite should be quoted in conformity with its structure as Na,Ca (Fe, Mg, Ti), F% [(OH).(Al, Fe)* SilsO,J, and that for gahnite as ZnO.Al,Os, which represents component oxides.

The author in the Preface states that the use of the book does not demand any technical knowledge. This unfortunately is not correct. Nevertheless, any collector possessing a relatively elementary training in mineralogy and petrology can fmd ample use for the volume. The translator editor has done a very good job in adapting the book to the requirements of the residents of the United Kingdom.