Gems, Granites, and Gravels: Knowing and Using Rocks and Minerals

This volume is a valuable introduction to mineralogy and to related specialties such as petrology (the study of rocks), crystallography (the study of crystals), and soil science. Discoveries in these fields are described in a historical context, while the authors explain what minerals and rocks are, how they are distributed around the world, how we depend on them, and where to see the most beautiful specimens of both minerals and rocks.