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Vaughan, D.J. and Wogelius, R. (Eds.)Environmental Mineralogy.

EMU Notes in Mineralogy, Vol. 2. Eötvös University Press, Budapest, 2000, xii + 434 pp. Price $18.00. ISBN 963 463 1333.

The first 20% of the full text of this article appears below.

This book arises from a Short Course on Environmental Mineralogy held by the European Mineralogical Union at Budapest in May 2000. Sponsored by the Socrates/Erasmus Programme of the European Union, the course aimed to develop "advanced teaching that redefines the boundaries of mineralogy" and a "coordinated European curriculum in mineralogy" (see Foreword). To this end, the content of the Short Course is presented in the chapters of this book. The result is wide ranging and authoritative. At the proposed cost of only eighteen dollars, it is a stimulating text at a bargain price.

How you regard such a book depends perhaps on what you expect. It is best seen as an introductory text that should lead the student to more extensive reading in their chosen field. It is not in itself a comprehensive treatment of the broad subject of environmental mineralogy, nor does it set out to be. Each chapter is based on the particular experience of its authors, and the editors have avoided trying to artificially stitch the chapters together to give an appearance of continuity, opting instead to allow each to speak for itself. The resulting sense of authority and focus is tempered by inevitable jumps in style and gaps in coverage, but don’t let this put you off. No single book could treat all the disparate subjects covered here in depth.

What is "environmental mineralogy"? I am not aware of any strictly defined avenue of research, so much as a wide area of increasing interest and concern to mineralogists. Environmental sciences are of course well established, and the ‘Environment’ is near the top of the agenda for a host of . . . [Full Text of this Article]