Many textbooks describe information and theories about the Earth without training students to utilize real data to answer basic geological questions. This volume – a combination of text and lab book – presents an entirely different approach to structural geology. Designed for undergraduate laboratory classes, it is dedicated to helping students solve many of the geometrical problems that arise from field observations.

The arrangement of chapters in the book follows the same outline as previous editions, with no major organizational changes. One thing that may be noticeable is that much of the discussion of the historical basis of concepts and ideas has been moved to essays. This permits students who are interested in the historical development of structural geology to explore further, but it does not interrupt the overall flow of chapters.

The classification of minerals has changed throughout the ages, the criterion of classification following the development of the mineralogical science. In ancient times, the classification of minerals was mainly based on their practical purposes. According to Theophrastus (372-287 B.C.), and Plinius (77 A.D.), minerals were classified as gemstones, ores, pigments, etc. In the Middle Ages, Geber (Jabir Ibn Hayyi'm, 721-c.803), proposed a classification based on the external characteristics and some physical properties of minerals such as hardness, fusibility, malleability and fracture; this physical classification was developed later by  Avicenna (Ibn Simi, 980-1037), and Agricola (1546). With Werner (1774) the physical classification attained its maturity and was generally adopted at the end of the XVIII century. <...>

The classification tables are complemented by the new mineral species, that were discoveried at 2007-2016 years [4], [50].The formulae of some mineral species were corrected and some mineral species were transfered to another taxons on account of the appearance of new data about the chemical composition or the crystal structures. Structural-chemical systematic of minerals is representative of recent data on connection between chemical composition and crystal structures and properties of minerals,conditions of mineral formations, paragenesis. The chemical signs are the basis of structural-chemical systematic. The crystal structures of mineral consider on the middle and low-level taxons, but not on the high-level taxons, because the mineral structure is depend on chemical composition and physical-chemical parameters of mineralforming systems.

The classification tables are given, which include near by 5000 mineral species. This enables to use developed classification for scientific and practical purposes.

This book designed for the wide circle of mineralogists, petrographers, geochemists, students of geolodical institutions and colleges.