There have been two dominant models used in describing the chemical and electronic behavior of a surface. One is the atomistic model, or the “surface molecule” model; the other is the band model, often called for emphasis the “rigid band” model. The atomistic model has been preferred in general in discussions of the chemical processes at a solid surface; the rigid band model is often preferred in discussions of electron exchange between the solid (especially a semiconductor) and a surface group, where, for example, the conductivity of the solid is changed.

About 2,200 years ago a scholarly librarian in charge of the prestigious collections of the museum at Alexandria conducted an elegant exercise in logic and experimentation. Using seemingly unrelated bits of information such as the observation of the penetration of sunlight into a well in the city of Syene, the speed of a camel caravan, and the shadow cast by an obelisk in Alexandria, Eratosthenes calculated a remarkably accurate estimate of the circumference of the earth (Wilford 1981).

The basic purpose of this book is to present an analysis of geological field techniques which will function as a working guide for the approach, pursuit, and solution of geological problems, particularly those of mining geology. It is the author’s hope that not only will the book acquaint students with proper field procedures, but that it also will afford a convenient reference for practicing geologists.

Subsurface fluid flow is critically dependent on the 3D distribution of petrophysical properties in rocks. In sequences of sedimentary rocks these properties are strongly influenced by lithology and facies distribution that stem from the geologic processes that generated them.

Not long ago Business Week, in a feature story entitled “Now the Squeeze on Metals,” warned ominously: America's industrial might—already threatened by the deepening energy mess—is in for another resource crunch. . . . All signs point to longer-range problems in U.S. mineral supply that will not be solved by cyclic swings in the economy. If not solved, those problems could make U.S. business less competitive, lower America’s standard of living, and endanger the national security.

In contrast to the recognized man/machine system of industry, the production process of mineral resources brings about a man/machine/nature system. The dynamic evolution of this system is characterized by a steady increase in the level of human labour. This also means that labour becomes increasingly complex and complicated due to the interaction with increased automation and mechanization.

This planet contains so much water that perhaps it should have been better named Oceania. It is the only known body in the solar system that is surrounded by water filled with unique geologic structures and teeming with a staggering assortment of marine life. Some of the strangest creatures on Earth, whose ancestors go back several hundred million years, live on the deep ocean floor.

It is often assumed that when China becomes aroused to the need of equipping herself with the tools and technique of America and Europe, there will be a great and rapid industrial and commercial advance comparable with that of England, Germany, and the United States during the last century. Her supposed untold wealth, in uvast resources” of raw materials and man power, when organized, is to produce, we are told, both the fiercest industrial competition the world has ever seen and the greatest potential market. The Industrial Revolution of the West, it is forebodingly asserted, is only the curtain-raiser for the vaster drama of the twentieth century to be played in Asia, where “the stage seems set for catastrophe.”

Proper laboratory testing of soils to detennine their physical properties is an integral part in the design and construction of structural foundations, the placement and improvement of soil properties, and the specification and quality control of soil compaction works. It needs to be kept in mind that natural soil deposits often exhibit a high degree of nonhomogenity. The physical properties of a soil deposit can change to a great extent even within a few hundred feet. The fundamental theoretical and empirical equations that are developed in soil mechanics can be properly used in practice if, and only if, the physical parameters used in those equations are properly evaluated in the laboratory. So, learning to perfonn laboratory tests of soils plays an important role in the geotechnical engineering profession <...>

This book is an outgrowth of my interest in the chemistry of sedimentary rocks. In teaching geochemistry, I realized that the best examples for many chemical processes are drawn from the study of ore deposits. Consequently, we initiated a course at The University of Cincinnati entitled "Sedimentary Ore Deposits," which serves as the final quarter course for both our sedimentary petrology and our ore deposits sequence, and this book is based on that teaching experience. Because of my orientation, the treatment given is perhaps more sedimentological than is usually found in books on ore deposits, but I hope that this proves to be an advantage. It will also be obvious that I have drawn heavily on the ideas and techniques of Robert Garrels.