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This book is about the most complete work on the subject of clay minerals thus far conceived. Its scope is one of basics to general principles to use in real geologic situations. In principle any student, advanced student or casual researcher, should be able to ?nd an answer to almost any question posed. The breadth of knowledge presented is truly impressive. This presentation is especially important at present when the study of the most abundant minerals found near the Earth's surface, clays, appears to ?nd disfavour with students and Universities. In fact we have never before needed such an encyclopaedic work to strengthen the discipline. At present when Earth sciences are slowing in popularity, the need for a precise and general education in the study of clay minerals is greater than ever before. Curiously the study of the environment, those materials found in the sphere of biological activity, is more relevant than ever. The natural progress of human activity through the age of science and then industrial activity up to the present stage of the post-industrial era has been marked by an increasing use of the Earth's surface resources. The steady increase of the human population has called upon the natural resources of the surface in a non-linear manner. In the pre-industrial era agriculture and industry was concerned with the basic subsistence of populations. In good years there was enough to eat and in bad ones not enough.
Zusammenfassung
"Clays" presents the fundamentals of the mineralogy and geology of clays through clear explanations of the mineralogical and geological problems involving clay minerals. It first introduces key concepts (crystallography and mineralogy of clays, thermodynamics, isotope chemistry, surface physical properties), setting the stage for readers to learn how clay minerals are formed or transformed in the principal geological environments at the Earth’s surface. Abundant illustrations, short paragraphs, exercises and applications support the comprehension of key concepts underlying crystallography, chemical reactions and geological situations. Theoretical demonstrations are reduced to the minimum necessary to grasp the fundamentals. Aimed for graduate students and scientists (geologists, geographers, engineers, environmental and soil scientists), "Clays" provides a comprehensive introduction to an important geological topic.
