Category: minerals

BOOK REVIEWS climate fossils geology minerals palaeontology volcanoes

The Oldest Rocks on Earth: A Search for the Origins of Our Planet, by Simon Lamb

The Oldest Rocks on Earth is composed in a consciously popular-science style, making it an enjoyable read, as well as an informative one for readers interested in how geologists reconstruct the earliest history of our planet. This approach allows Simon Lamb to interweave the science with his own research history, particularly his PhD work and later field studies in Swaziland (as it was when he carried out his work, but now renamed Eswatini), where he investigated some of the oldest rocks on Earth.

geology minerals mining urban, art, anthropology

Critical minerals (Part 9): Tungsten – the minerals, geology, technology roles, and collector appeal of a strategic metal

Michael C. Mackiewicz (USA) Tungsten as an element is well-known for its extreme physical characteristics. It melts at a higher temperature than any other metal, is unusually dense, and remains hard and stable even under extreme heat, thereby making it crucial in both scientific and industrial settings. Even though tungsten … Read More

BOOK REVIEWS geology minerals space volcanoes

Planetary Geology: An Introduction (3rd ed), by Dominic Fortes and Claudio Vita-Finzi

Planetary geology occupies an awkward but fascinating position between disciplines. It draws its physical framework from physics and astronomy, its observational tools from remote sensing and space missions, and its interpretative instincts from terrestrial geology. Planetary Geology: An Introduction by Dominic Fortes and Claudio Vita-Finzi has, since its first appearance, sought to bring these strands together into a coherent teaching text.

BOOK REVIEWS england fossils geology minerals mining palaeontology

The Southern Pennines, by John Collinson and Roy Rosen (Classic Geology in Europe 13)

The Classic Geology in Europe series has, over many years, established a distinctive and reliable identity: authoritative regional syntheses written by specialists, designed for geologists who want to understand landscapes through field observation rather than armchair generalities. The Southern Pennines sits comfortably within that tradition and, in several respects, exemplifies the mature strengths of the series.

geology minerals mining urban, art, anthropology

Critical minerals (Part 6): Nickel – a mineral of beauty, industry and strategic value

Michael C Mackiewicz (USA) Minerals have shaped human societies since ancient times, but the idea of ‘critical minerals’ is fairly recent. As explored in earlier articles in this series, the Top Ten critical minerals, lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, manganese, the rare‑earth elements, tungsten, vanadium, bismuth and antimony are central to … Read More

BOOK REVIEWS climate europe geology historical / biographies minerals northern ireland urban, art, anthropology

GeoHibernica: The Irish Landscapes, Peoples and Cultures, by Paul Lyle

Paul Lyle begins GeoHibernica with a slightly mischievous acknowledgement: the book exists only because the author of GeoBritannica was unable to take on its Irish counterpart himself. It is a revealing admission, and one that immediately invites comparison between the two works. That comparison is instructive, although not always in the ways one might expect.

geology minerals mining

Critical minerals (Part 4): Rare earth elements – strategic resources at the intersection of geology, technology, and global responsibility

Michael Mackiewicz (USA) In earlier articles of this series, lithium and cobalt from the list of the Top 10 critical minerals – lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, manganese, rare earth elements, tungsten, vanadium, bismuth and antimony – were discussed relative to their value to mineral collectors,advanced technologies and the global economy. … Read More

BOOK REVIEWS climate geology historical / biographies minerals volcanoes

Book review: Geology and the Pioneers of Earth Science, by Mike Leeder

Mike Leeder’s Geology and the Pioneers of Earth Science is an ambitious and absorbing exploration of the intellectual and personal stories behind the transformation of geology in the twentieth century. Published in September 2024, the book positions itself as an account of how the discipline shifted from a largely descriptive, field-based science into the more synthetic, quantitative and planet-wide framework we now call “earth science”.

geology minerals mining urban, art, anthropology

Critical minerals (Part 3): Cobalt – the versatile metal powering modern technology

Michael Mackiewicz (USA) Minerals have shaped human progress for millennia, but the concept of critical minerals is a modern one. As discussed in earlier articles, the Top 10 critical minerals (lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, manganese, rare earth elements, tungsten, vanadium, bismuth and antimony) are essential to advanced technologies, global economy, … Read More