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166 BOOK REVI EWS

and limi tations are explained. Counter methods are

next discussed, and reference is made to the pro-

cedures for correcting intensity data for use in

subsequent structure determination. The essential

steps in solving a crystal structure are then set out,

and the methods of refinement described. The aim

throughout is to explain the procedure to be

adopted by the practical crystallographer who does

not want to be distracted by digressions into full

background theory or the more specialized aspects

of crystal structure de termination. The style is clear

and very readable, and one is conscious of being

given the experimental know how' that can only

come from an experienced crystallographer who

has herself met all the practical difficulties and

overcome them. The usefulness of the book as a

crystallographers' 'workshop manu al' is reinforced

by a final chapter summarizing and assessing the

advantages of the various techniques against the

effort likely to be expended in applying them and

the cost of the necessary equipment. An extension

of the very brief one-page section on direct methods

would have been an advantage in view of the

prominence of these techniques in current research,

but this is a minor criticism of what is on the whole

a very well-balanced account.

The book can be warmly recommended to

undergraduates or graduates who wish to learn

quickly the elements of the subject in order to apply

them in the course o f a project or research. It is well

produced, and the diagrams are clear. Compre-

hensive references are provided for those who wish

to read further; and at s the paperback edition

should be within the reach of most students even at

the current depressed level of grants.

S. G. FLEET

Kerr (P. F.),

Optical ineralogy

(fourth edition).

New York (McGraw Hill Book Company), I977.

xvi +492 PP., 427 figs. Price s

This is the latest edition of a textbook that has

always been popular with students because it sets

out in a well-arranged way the properties needed to

identify minerals in thin section. It is in two parts,

the first giving the principles of mineral optics and

the second describing each mineral systematically.

There are relatively few changes from the preceding

edition, but instructors who may be tempted to

prescribe the book for class use should be aware

that it has many serious deficiencies.

The most obvious shortcomings arise from the

failure to revise the new edition to take account of

developments in the subject. For example the

differences between high- and low-temperature

feldspars seem to be only grudgingly recognized,

and low-temperature plagioclases continue to be

described as 'normal plagioclase'. The deter-

minative curves for plagioclase based on 2V and

the angle of the rhombic section are taken from

publica tions of I931 and I9I 9 respectively and

completely ignore subsequent discoveries on the

effects of variation in structural state. Albite is

listed as optically positive with a 2V of 77 ~ to 82 ,

which is only true of the low-temperature variety.

Non-metric measurements continue to be used,

such as miles per second on p. 55 and pounds per

square inch on p. 43o, and for monoclinic minerals

fl is usually quoted as an acute angle. A really

bizarre entry is that ofiddingsite, which although in

reality a poorly characterized mixture is given a

most detailed description that includes crystal

system, refractive indices, 2V, cleavage directions,

and pleochroic scheme. There is no explanation of

the real nature o f such materials as opal or limonite,

even though they are much better understood than

when the first edition of the book appeared. Some

of the updating that has been done is of dubious

value. The electron micrographs and phase dia-

grams do not contribute much to a handbook on

optics, especially when liquidus temperatures are

referred to as 'temperatures of forma tion' (p. 286).

Errors abound. Wrong chemical formulae are

given for augite, biotite, chabazite, dumortierite,

glauconite, heulandite , illite, phlogopi te, staurolite,

stilbite, and t rona, Chabazite is wrongly described

as monoclin ic and erionite as orthorhombic, while

the refractive indices quoted for the latter are much

too high ( ~ r5 4 instead of ,,- 1.47 . There is a

general disregard of the principles of crystal chem-

istry. Formulae of minerals are sometimes quoted

as though they were made up of separate molecules,

e.g. kaolinite A1203.2SIO2.2H20, while others are

presented in a more modern form. The treatment of

hydroxyl ions is capricious, and they are shown as

(OH) in talc and chlorite, as H in prehnite, serpen-

tines, axinite, chloritoid, stilpnomelane and

lawsonite, and as HzO in kaolinite, chamosite, and

several others. In heulandi te and stilbite, molecular

water is written simply as H. Mclilite is grouped

with the tectosilicates, but glauconite is not classed

either as a mica or a clay mineral. It is suggested

that feldspathoids may be considered as 'silica-

deficient feldspars'. In places, isomorphous sub-

stituents are written without a comma, e.g.

(KNa)AISi30s for microcline on p. 285.

There is a great deal of carelessness in the

systematic descriptions, with students being led

into pitfalls that should be guarded against. The

interference colour of albite is described as 'pale

yellow of the first order, about the same as quartz in

the same section', with no reminder that this

would be the

m a x i m u m

interference colour of a

number of grains (and then only in a rather thick

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B O O K R E V I E W S

s e c ti o n ). T h i s i s i m m e d i a t e l y f o l l o w e d b y t h e s t a t e -

m e n t t h a t t h e m a x i m u m e x t i n c t io n a n g l e i n a l b i te

t w i n s v a r i e s f r o m 1 2 ~ t o I 9 ~ T h i s i s o n l y t r u e f o r

s e c t i o n s c u t p e r p e n d i c u l a r t o ( o I 0 , e x a c t l y th e k i n d

o f m i s t a k e t h a t s t u d e n t s m a k e w h e n f i rs t u s i n g

t h e M i c h e l- L 6 v y m e t h o d t o d e t e r m i n e f e ld s p a rs .

A n o t h e r v e r y m i s l ea d i n g s ta t e m e n t i s th a t ' a m o n g

t h e m e m b e r s o f th e t o u r m a l i n e g r o u p s c h o r li t e

s h o w s t h e s t r o n g e s t a b s o r p t i o n n o r m a l t o t h e

p l a n e o f t h e p o l a r iz e r '. T h e r e i s n o e x p l a n a t i o n o f

a n o m a l o u s i n t e r f e r e n c e c o l o u r s .

T h e s t a n d a r d o f p r o d u c t i o n o f t h e b o o k i s

g e n e r a l ly g o o d , w i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n o f t h e p h o t o -

m i c r o g r a p h s , m o s t o f w h i c h a r e o u t o f f o c u s a n d

u n r e c o g n i z a b l e . T h e r e a r e v a r i o u s e r r o r s o f sp e l l i n g

a n d i n d e x i n g , a n d t w o f i g u re s (4 - t 2 a n d 4 - 1 3 a) h a v e

h a d t h e i r c a p t i o n s t r a n s p o s e d . T h e i n t e r f e r e n c e

c o l o u r c h a r t i s o f v e ry p o o r q u a l it y . T h e m o s t

u s e fu l p a r t o f th e b o o k i s th e s h o r t s e c t i o n o f

d e t e r m i n a t i v e t a b l e s i n w h i c h m i n e r a l s a r e c l a s s i -

f i ed a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r v a r i o u s o p t i c a l p r o p e r t i e s .

A . HALL

A nth on y ( J . W. ) , W i l l i a m s ( S. A . ), a nd B id e a ux

(R. A.). Mineralogy of Arizona T u c s o n , A r i z o n a

( U n i v . o f A r i z o n a P r e s s ), ~ 9 7 7 . v i i i + 2 2 5 p p . , 5 0

f igs ., 69 co lou r ph oto s . P r ice 22-5o (c lo th) , 9 '75

(paper ) .

A f t e r a n i n t r o d u c t i o n , t h i s b o o k o p e n s w i t h a

s e r ie s o f a l l - t o o - b r i e f v e r b a l s k e t c h e s o n A r i z o n a

s p e c i a li t ie s , p r i d e o f p l a c e i n t h i s c o p p e r - m i n i n g

s t a te b e i n g g i v en t o m i n e r a ls o f t h e p o r p h y r y

c o p p e r a n d r e l a t e d d e p o s i t s , f o l l o w e d b y t h e

C o l o r a d o P l a t e au - t y p e u r a n i u m a n d v a n a d i u m d e -

p o s i t s . D e s c r i p t i o n s o f t h e m i n e r a l o g y o f t h e

M a m m o t h - S t . A n t h o n y m i n e a t T i g e r a n d o f t h e

m i n e s a t B i s b e e a r e i n t e n d e d t o f i ll a g a p i n t h e

m i n e r a l o g i c a l l i t e ra t u r e . S p e c i a l r e fe r e n c e i s a l s o

m a d e t o t h e h y d r a t e d s u l p h a t e m i n e r a ls f o r m e d b y

a m i n e f i r e i n I 8 9 4 a t t h e U n i t e d V e r d e m i n e a n d

t h e r e is a n o t e o n A r i z o n a m e t e o r i t e s . B u t a f t e r t h a t

c l e a r i n g o f t h e t h r o a t , a s i t w e r e , t h e r e m a i n d e r o f

t h e b o o k i s d e v o t e d t o a n a l p h a b e t i c a l ly a r r a n g e d

c a t a l o g u e o f A r i z o n a m i n e r a l s - - t o t a l l i n g o v e r 6o o

s p e ci e s, 22 4 o f t h e m r e c o g n i z e d s i n c e t h e i 9 5 9

e d i t i o n o f Minerals of Arizona b y G a l b r a i t h a n d

B r e n n a n , a n d i n c l u d i n g 4 8 m i n e r a l s p e c i e s f i r s t

d e s c r i b e d f r o m A r i z o n a . T h i s l i s ti n g i s f o l lo w e d b y

a n e x t e n si v e b i b l i o g r a p h y a n d d e t a i le d m a p s o f

A r i z o n a m i n i n g d i s t r i c t s .

I n t h e c a t a l o g u e , t h e c h e m i c a l c o m p o s i t i o n o f

e a c h m i n e r a l i s g i v e n , t o g e t h e r w i t h n o t e s o n i t s

p a r a g e n e s i s a n d a l i s t o f l o c a l it i e s , b u t f ew o t h e r

d e t a i l s ( e v en c o l o u r ) a r e a d d e d . S o m e o f t h e e n t r i es

a r e a c c o m p a n i e d b y m o r p h o l o g i c a l d r a w i n g s a n d

t h e r e i s a g o o d l e a v e n i n g o f g e n e r a l l y e x c e l le n t

I67

c o l o u r p h o t o g r a p h s o f l o c a l iz e d m a t e r i a l ; u n f o r -

t u n a t e l y n o s c a le s a r e g i v e n a n d o n l y b y i n t u i t i o n o r

e x p e r i e n c e i s t h e r e a d e r a b l e t o j u d g e t h a t t h e

c r y s t al o f w i c k e n b u r g i t e re p r o d u c e d I c m a c r o s s is

p r o b a b l y m u c h s m a l l e r a n d t h a t t h e p ri s m a t i c

c r y s ta l s o f d i o p t a s e o r o f b r o e h a n t i t e a r e r e a l ly

i n c r e d i b l y t in y . N e v e r t h e l e s s t h i s i s a n a t t r a c t i v e

a n d u s e f u l w o r k a n d i n t h e p a p e r b a c k v e r s i o n i s

s u r e l y g o o d v a l u e . R . A . H O W l E

H ill (C. A). Cav e Minerals H u n t s v i l l e (N a t . S p e l e o -

log ica l Soc .) , I976 . I36 p p. , IO8 figs. , 9 col ou r p ls .

A v a i l a b l e f r o m N a t i o n a l S p e l e o lo g i c a l S o c i et y ,

C a v e A v e n u e , H u n t s v i l l e , A l a b a m a 3 5 8 I o ,

U . S . A . P r i c e 25 -oo ( pos tpa id ) .

T h i s a t t r a c t i v e a n d l i b e r a l l y i l l u s t r a t e d b o o k i s o n e

o f v e r y f e w t o s u r v e y t h e f i e l d o f m i n e r a l s f o u n d i n

c a ve s . S o m e s e v e n t y m i n e r a l s a r e l i s t ed a n d d e -

s c r i b e d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e u s u a l g r o u p i n g s o f c a r-

b o n a t e s , s u l p h a t e s , e t c . T h e a u t h o r a d m i t s t o

h a v i n g h a d s o m e d i f f i cu l t y i n d e f i n i n g a ' ca v e ' , a n d

t h u s a c ~ iv e m i n e r a l , a n d a n u m b e r o f t h o s e l i s t e d

h a v e b e e n f o u n d o n l y i n l ar g e vu g s i n h y d r o t h e r m a l

v e i n s o r i n w e a t h e r e d z o n e s a b o v e o r e b o d i e s .

P r e c e d e n c e i s n a t u r a l l y g i v e n t o t h e m a n y v a r ie t i es

o f c a v e c a l ci t e a n d a r a g o n i t e, a n d t h e a u t h o r d r a w s

a t t e n t i o n t o p r o b l e m s in e x p l a i n i n g h o w s o m e o f

t h e b i z a r r e f o r m s g r o w . R e f e r e n c e is a l s o m a d e t o

t h e c o n f l i c t i n g e v i d e n c e a s t o w h a t c a u s e s c a l c i t e t o

p r e c i p i t a t e i n o n e c a v e w h i l e a r a g o n i t e f o r m s i n

t h e o n e n ex t d o o r u n d e r a p p a r e n t l y t h e sa m e

e n v i r o n m e n t a l c o n d i t i o n s .

T h e r e a r e s o m e o d d i t i e s i n t h e b o o k : b a r y t e i s

s e p a r a t e d f r o m t h e r e s t o f t h e s u l p h a te s a n d n o t e d

a m o n g ' o r e - a s s o c i a t e d ' m i n e r a l s . C r i s t o b a l i t e is

c o n s i s t e n t l y m i s - s p e l t . A n o t h e r i s t h e i n c l u s i o n o f

' p e t r o m o r p h s ' , d e f i n e d a s ' s e c o n d a r y m i n e r a l d e -

p o s i t s i n t h e b e d r o c k a c c i d e n t a ll y e x p o s e d w i t h in a

c a v e ': a n e x a m p l e is th e b o x w o r k o f s m a l l q u a r t z

v e in s i n W i n d C a v e , S o u t h D a k o t a . M a n y o f th e

o t h e r c a v e m i n e r a l s li s t e d c o u l d c o m e w i t h i n t h i s

c a t e g o r y b u t t h e y a r e n o t s o n o t e d .

F o r m u l a e a r e g i v en f o r m o s t m i n e r a l s li s te d , b u t

l i t tl e i s s a id o n c r y s t a l l o g r a p h y , i n c o n t r a s t t o t h e

c o m p a r a b l e r e c e n t w o r k b y W . B . W h i t e , w h i ch t h i s

r e v i e w e r e d i t e d n o t s o l o n g a g o ( C h a p t e r 8 i n T . D .

F o r d a n d C . H . D . C u l l i n g f o r d , I 9 7 6. The Science of

Speleology A c a d e m i c P r e s s) .

L o c a l i t y i n f o r m a t i o n i s d e l i b e r a t e l y s p a r s e , a s t h e

a u t h o r e m p h a s i z e s , b e i n g l a r g e l y r e s t r i c t e d t o

t o u r i s t a n d o t h e r c o n t r o l l e d ca v e s in t h e U n i t e d

S t a t e s s o a s t o m i n i m i z e c o m m e r c i a l c o l le c t i n g a n d

o t h e r f o r m s o f v a n d a l i s m .

A s h o r t c h a p t e r a t t h e e n d r e v i e w s m a t t e r s s u c h

a s s p e l e o t h e m d a t i n g , t h e r o l e o f m i c r o - o r g a n i s m s ,