Syngenesis And Epigenesis In The Formation Of Mineral Deposits

The papers in this volume are dedicated to Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. G. Christian Amstutz by his colleagues, friends, and students on the occasion of his 60th anniversary. The authors of this book - the theme was restricted to syngenesis and epigenesis in the formation of mineral deposits - wish to honour with their articles a scientist who has contributed to, and substantially promoted the understanding of the genesis of mineral deposits in the last decades. The majority of the articles deal with strata-bound depos its, thus reflecting one of his main scientific interests. In the tradition of his professors, Paul Niggli and Paul Ramdohr, G.C. Amstutz has maintained an open and active interest in many fields of earth science. His numerous papers have triggered a remarkable number of new ideas and investigations in a variety of fields, and the "happy marriage" of economic geology with sedimentology is cer tainly one of his main successes, starting with the first Symposium on Sedimentology and Ore Genesis at the Sixth International Sedimentological Congress at Delft in 1963.

This is the first comprehensive book on the geological characteristics of giant metallic deposits that provides solid facts rather than rapidly changing theories. The book provides abundant material for comparative research in metallogeny, practical information for the explorationists as to where to look for the "elephants", and inspiration for commodity investors.

An important prerequisite to the long-term use of nuclear energy is information on uranium ore deposits from which uranium can be economically exploited. Hence the basic purpose of this book is to present an overview of uranium geology, data characteristic for uranium deposits, and a synthesis of these data in the form of a typological classification of uranium deposits supported by more detailed descriptions of selected uranium districts and deposits. An additional goal is to provide access for the interested reader to the voluminous literature on uranium geology. Therefore a register of bibliography as global as possible, extending beyond the immediate need for this book, is provided. The volume presented here was not originally designed as a product for its own sake. It evolved as a by-product during decades of active uranium exploration and was compiled thanks to a request by the Springer Publishing Company. Routine research work on identifying characteristic features and recognition criteria of uranium deposits, combined with associated modeling of types of deposits for reapplication in exploration, provided the data bank. The publisher originally asked for a book on uranium deposits structured as a combined text- and reference book. The efforts to condense all the text into a single publication were soon doomed. The material grew out of all feasible proportions for a book of acceptable size and price, a wealth of data on uranium geology and related geosciences having become available during the past decade, too vast for one volume.

Based on an international seminar, held Sept. 1986 in Cuzco, Peru, sponsored by Multiciencias (Peru) and Unesco.

Much new data and many new ideas have emerged in the area of oregeology and industrial minerals since publication of the secondedition of this text in 1987. The overriding philosophy behind thisnew edition is the inclusion and integration of this new materialwithin the established framework of the text. The third edition isre-presented in the modern double-column format. Non-metallic deposits of industrial and bulk materials are fullycovered to meet the changing emphasis of courses in appliedgeology. In addition, chapter 1 has been considerably enlarged toinclude a section on mineral economics covering metals, industrialminerals and bulk materials. In this section, the various aspectsof economic exploitation of industrial and bulk materials arecompared with those of metallic deposits. Other major revisions andadditions include a section on fluid inclusions, expansion of thesection on wall rock alteration, expansion of the material onisotope studies, and the inclusion of a section on hydraulicfracturing and seismic pumping.

Mineral deposits have supplied useful or valuable material for human consumption long before they became objects of scientific curiosity or commercial exploitation. In fact, the earliest human interest in rocks was probably because of the easily accessible, useful (e. g. , red pigment in the form of earthy hematite) or valuable (e. g. , native gold and gemstones) materials they contained at places. In modem times, the study of mineral deposits has evolved into an applied science employing detailed field observations, sophisticated laboratory techniques for additional information, and computer modeling to build complex hypotheses. Understanding concepts that would someday help geologists to find new mineral deposits or exploit the known ones more efficiently have always been, and will continue to be, at the core of any course on mineral deposits, but it is a fascinating subject in its own right, even for students who do not intend to be professional economic geologists. I believe that a course on mineral deposits should be designed as a "capstone course" that illustrates a comprehensive application of concepts from many other disciplines in geology (mineralogy, stratigraphy and sedimentation, structure and tectonics, petrology, geochemistry, paleontology, geomorphology, etc. ). This book is intended as a text for such an introductory course in economic geology, primarily for senior undergraduate and graduate students in colleges and universities. It should also serve as a useful information resource for professional economic geologists.