A Field Guide To Rocks And Minerals - The Peterson Field Guide Series, Third Edition Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
This book is a Pocket Field Guide To Identifying Rock and Minerals Throughout the United States. It contains color illustrations, 264 photographs, and q49 in full color.
Hardcover
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company (1960)
Language: English
ASIN: B002AOCMG4
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 1.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #733,212 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #130 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Field Guides > Rocks & Minerals #245 in Books > Science & Math > Earth Sciences > Rocks & Minerals #27521 in Books > Sports & Outdoors
This Field Guide has been, and still is, The classic and useful Field Guide. Despite its title, this is mainly oriented toward minerals. Well organized and interestingly written, this is one of the few mineralogy texts which is both readable for enjoyment, and useful to both the beginner and the expert. Part I includes an introduction on the philosophy and adjuncts of the collecting and study of minerals, briefly reviews geology and its rocks, discusses the physical properties of minerals (such as may be used to help distinguish the various species), introduces crystallography, a chemical classification of minerals written for the layman, and finally Tests, Techniques, and Tips, with many useful down-to-earth hints. Part II is Mineral Descriptions, each one with name, formula, crystal system, and visual aids in the plates which include both diagrams and photographs. Several headings in each description are in boldface: Environment, Crystal description, Physical properties, Composition, Tests, Distinguishing characteristics, Occurrence, and Interesting Facts. Also includes glossary, bibliography, index. Well organized and accurate, this little book has been used by some amateur mineralogists who, although using several more technical books during years of study, still find this one useful. Although another well-known text is the most commonly used one for college mineralogy courses, I have recommended that students also get a copy of the Field Guide. For the amateur exercising a bit of Emersonian self-reliance in the testing of his own specimens, this Field Guide is one of the very few remaining guides including good Tests (which have actually been tried before including them) under each species.
As a geology student studying mineral identification I looked long and hard at every R&M book I could find and came to the conclusion the 4th edition of this work is the best. Why not the 5th? While it has better photographs for the most part it's not cross referenced. So if you look up Actinolite and go to the plate with the image it has no reference to the text about the mineral! the 4th DOES! Sounds small but if your doing a lot of work the page flipping gets tiresome and it was such an easy thing to do....Also the section on rocks is weaker in the 5th.Also as mentioned in other reviews the binding is subpar and not worthy of a Field Manual. Cheap paperback with poor type set as compared with the 4th. Just harder to read. The 4th has the classic field manual feel to it and one has confidence it wont self destruct in a ruck sack on a collecting trip.The color photos are a slight improvement but don't suffice for sharp detail and please note color is a poor indicator of minerals. Sure a great color image would be wonderful but a B&W that highlights the important detail will serve us better.Much of the Pough text seems in tact and is the lone saving grace! the descriptions are a great help to my understanding and far and away the best out there.I know these sound like minor complaints but I nail with one star to hopefully rattle the publishers cage and print a new permanent edition worthy of Dr. Pough's effort. I found a similar recent Peterson Guide to medicinal plants that have nice sewn flex binding for $2 more than the R&M book! The current Bird guide has the classic type set. I even called the publisher to see if they published a "field guide" version as opposed to this paperback and was met in a joking manner that was of no help.
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