Earth Materials

Minerals and rocks form the foundation of geologic studies. This new textbook has been written to address the needs of students at the increasing number of universities that have compressed separate mineralogy and petrology courses into a one- or two-semester Earth materials course. Key features of this book include: equal coverage of mineralogy, sedimentary petrology, igneous petrology and metamorphic petrology; copious field examples and regional relationships with graphics that illustrate the concepts discussed; numerous case studies to show the uses of earth materials as resources and their fundamental role in our lives and the global economy, and their relation to natural and human-induced hazards; the integration of earth materials into a cohesive process-based earth systems framework; two color thoughout with 48 pages of four color. Readership: students taking an earth materials, or combined mineralogy and petrology course in an earth science degree program. It will also be useful for environmental scientists, engineering geologists, and physical geographers who need to learn about minerals, rocks, soil and water in a comprehensive framework. A companion website for this book is available at: wiley.com/go/hefferan/earthmaterials.

Minerals and rocks form the foundation of geologic studies. Thisnew textbook has been written to address the needs of students atthe increasing number of universities that have compressed separatemineralogy and petrology courses into a one- or two-semester Earthmaterials course.Key features of this book include:* equal coverage of mineralogy, sedimentary petrology, igneouspetrology and metamorphic petrology;* copious field examples and regional relationships with graphicsthat illustrate the concepts discussed;* numerous case studies to show the uses of earth materials asresources and their fundamental role in our lives and the globaleconomy, and their relation to natural and human-inducedhazards;* the integration of earth materials into a cohesiveprocess-based earth systems framework;* two color thoughout with 48 pages of four color.Readership: students taking an earth materials, orcombined mineralogy and petrology course in an earth science degreeprogram. It will also be useful for environmental scientistsengineering geologists, and physical geographers who need to learnabout minerals, rocks, soil and water in a comprehensiveframework.A companion website for this book is available at: href="wiley.com/go/hefferan/earthmaterials">wiley.com/go/hefferan/earthmaterials.

Preface.Acknowledgments.1. Earth materials and the geosphere.2. Atoms, elements, bonds and coordination polyhedra.3 Atomic substitution, phase diagrams and isotopes.4. Crystallography.5. Mineral properties and rock-forming minerals.6. Optical identification of minerals.7. Classification of igneous rocks.8. Magma and intrusive structures.9. Volcanic features and landforms.10. Igneous rock associations.11. The sedimentary cycle: erosion, transportation, depositionand sedimentary structures.12. Weathering, sediment production and soils.13. Detrital sediments and sedimentary rocks.14. Biochemical sedimentary rocks.15. Metamorphism.16. Metamorphism: stress, deformation and structures.17. Texture and classification of metamorphic rocks.18. Metamorphic zones, facies and facies series.19. Mineral resources and hazards.References.Index.Periodic table.List of elements.