Rutleys Elements Of Mineralogy 27Ed (Pb 2005)

This 27th edition encompasses a number of changes. Chapters 1-5 have the same headings as before but considerable changes have been made in all of them particularly 1 3 4 and 5. Comments sought prior to .the revision revealed considerable disagreement about the role of blowpipe analyses in the book. I have only once had blowpipe analyses demonstrated to me and have never used them; but there is no doubt that they are employed in many countries and many of the tests (flame colour bead etc.) are still useful as rapid indicators of which element is present in a mineral. After Chapter 6 which deals with the layout of Chapters 7 8 and 9 Chapter 7 discusses the periodic table and elemental groupings and lists the various minerals which contain a particular element; but detailed information on each mineral is now found either in Chapter 8 where the non-silicates are described or in Chapter 9 where the silicate minerals are described. In Chapter 8 the non-silicate minerals have been subdivided on the basis of the anion groups present using the scheme adopted by the American mineralogist J. D. Dana. The silicate minerals in Chapter 9 have been subdivided on the basis of their crystal chemistry.