The solar system consists of the sun, nine planets, 32 known satellites  (and a ring system), several thousand telescopically visible asteroids,  > 105 comets, meteoroids (see Glossary), interplanetary dust, and a  tenuous and transitory plasma (the solar wind). A primary purpose of  meteorite research is to learn more about the origin and evolution of the  solar system.

In this book, information about the type localities and the history of the discoveries of all new minerals found on the territory of the former Soviet Union (582 mineral species, from 1766 to 1997) is availablefor the first time. The book also contains information on the type specimens of the minerals that are kept in Russian museums; data on the persons for whom the minerals were named; portraits of discoverers of new minerals; 146 colour photographs and 68 SEM-photographs of minerals; 24 geographical schemes and 38 colour pictures showing the type localities; a complete index of place names; and 761 references. The book is intended for mineralogists, museum curators, specialists in the history of geology, and mineral collectors.

Geologically, the Carpathian Range is the continuation of the Eastern Alps towards the East forming an arching bow-shaped mountain chain of 1,500 km in length that extends through several countries, (i.e. the Czech Republic. Slovakia, Poland. Hungary, Ukraine, and Romania). From a mineralogical viewpoint, the Carpathians, with its more than 1,000 mineral species, is an extremely interesting area. Its geological formations vary in ages and compositions. The structural evolution is highly complicated. It has also been a traditional mining area since prehistoric times. More than fifty valid mineral species were first described from this region (karpatite. koktaite, libethenite, native tellurium, pilsenite, rozenite. rhodochrosite.  etc.). Some very rare species, originally discovered in other parts of the world, also occur here (cymrite, hetaerolite. nambulite, segnitite, capgaronnite, etc.). <...>

This field guide is divided into three sections, namely minerals, rocks (including meteorites and tektites) and fossils. Each section comprises an introductory part, which is illustrated by line drawings, and a descriptive part, which is illustrated by line drawings and colour photographs. The introductory sections include the minimum basic information required to follow the descriptive sections adequately, while the descriptive sections, for ease of reference, are always arranged so that photographs and accompanying text are opposite one another.