Nicholas Arndt - Böcker

Komatiites erupted billions of years ago as pulsating streams of white-hot lava. Their unusual chemical compositions and exceptionally high formation temperatures produced highly fluid lava that crystallized as spectacular layered flows. Investigation of the extreme conditions in which komatiites formed provides important evidence about the thermal and chemical evolution of the planet, and the nature of the Precambrian mantle. This monograph, written by three experts with long experience in the field, presents a complete account of the characteristics of komatiites including their volcanic structures, textures, mineralogy and chemical compositions. Models for their formation and eruption are evaluated (including the anhydrous vs. hydrous magmas controversy). A chapter is also devoted to the valuable nickel and copper ore deposits found in komatiites. Komatiite is a key reference for researchers and advanced students interested in petrology, Archaean geology, economic geology, and broader questions about the evolution of the Earth's crust and mantle.

Komatiites erupted billions of years ago as pulsating streams of white-hot lava. Their unusual chemical compositions and exceptionally high formation temperatures produced highly fluid lava that crystallized as spectacular layered flows. Investigation of the extreme conditions in which komatiites formed provides important evidence about the thermal and chemical evolution of the planet, and the nature of the Precambrian mantle. This monograph, written by three experts with long experience in the field, presents a complete account of the characteristics of komatiites including their volcanic structures, textures, mineralogy and chemical compositions. Models for their formation and eruption are evaluated (including the anhydrous vs. hydrous magmas controversy). A chapter is also devoted to the valuable nickel and copper ore deposits found in komatiites. Komatiite is a key reference for researchers and advanced students interested in petrology, Archaean geology, economic geology, and broader questions about the evolution of the Earth's crust and mantle.

This book is a comprehensive overview of economic geology for the general geologist and anyone else interested in the minerals industry and the global supply of raw materials. It includes some thought-provoking statements and questions for discussion on globalisation and current practices in the minerals industry. In the second edition, all chapters have been extensively revised, and a new author has been added to increase coverage of some mineral deposits and topics. The economic issues surrounding the exploitation of mineral resources is discussed in three of the six chapters of the book. It deals with issues that are commonly addressed in current science reporting – the rate of exploitation of natural resources, the question of when or if these resources will be exhausted, the pollution and social disturbance that accompanies mining, the compromises and challenges that arise from the explosion in demand from China, India and other rapidly developing countries,and the moral issues that surround mining of metals in lesser-developed countries for consumption in the “first-world” countries. The book will be useful both as an introductory text for students in the earth sciences and a reference volume for students, teachers and researchers of geography, economics and the social sciences.