Written for students and professionals, this revised textbook surveys the mineral industry from geological, environmental and economic perspectives.

Written for students and professionals, this revised textbook surveys the mineral industry from geological, environmental and economic perspectives. Thoroughly updated, the text includes a new chapter on technology industry metals as well as separate chapters on mineral economics and environmental geochemistry. Carefully designed figures simplify difficult concepts and show the location of important deposits and trade patterns, emphasising the true global nature of mineral resources. Featuring boxes highlighting special interest topics, the text equips students with the skills they need to contribute to the energy and mineral questions currently facing society, including issues regarding oil pipelines, nuclear power plants, water availability and new mining locations. Technical terms are highlighted when first used, and references are included to allow students to delve more deeply into areas of interest. Multiple choice and short answer questions are provided for instructors online at www.cambridge.org/kesler to complete the teaching package.

Preface 1. Introduction 2. Origin of mineral deposits 3. Environmental geochemistry and mineral resources 4. Mineral exploration and production 5. Mineral law and land access 6. Mineral economics 7. Energy mineral resources 8. Iron, steel and the ferroalloy metals 9. Light and base metals 10. Technology elements 11. Precious metals and gems 12. Agricultural and chemical minerals 13. Construction and industrial minerals 14. Global mineral reserves and resources Appendix1 Minerals, rocks and geologic time Appendix2 Ore minerals and materials Appendix3 Units and conversion factors Glossary References Index