Pohl: Economic Geology 2 nd Edition (Book Review)
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Pohl: Economic Geology 2nd Edition (Book Review) Christian Wolkersdorfer1 Received: 22 October 2020 / Accepted: 4 November 2020 © Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
“Economic Geology” (Fig. 1, Schweizerbart, Stuttgart, ISBN 978-3-510–65,441-3, 94–€) is the second edition of Walter Pohl’s book about all aspects of ore deposits and economic geology, which was first published in 2011. This book (in English) is the successor of the outstanding German publication “W. u. W. E. Petrascheck’s Lagerstättenlehre,” which was published in five editions between 1950 and 2005. It has been expanded, and now has 755 pages with 305 figures, 31 tables, and 63 colour plates; the full subtitle is “Principles and Practice – Metals, Minerals, Coal and Hydrocarbons – Introduction to Formation and Sustainable Exploitation of Mineral Deposits”. As a young student of economic geology at Clausthal University of Technology, Germany, it was essential for us students to know the “Petrascheck”, as it was called, but all of the copies in the library were always in use. So we stood for hours in front of the photocopier to make our own – undoubtedly illegal – copy of the book. Holding my own copy of the newest, revised edition of Walter Pohl’s “Economic Geology” in my hands is therefore a pleasure and obligation for me. Walter Pohl’s newest book comprises seven chapters in four parts, plus an introduction and an epilogue. Of great value is that the book considers both deposit types, in a general sense, and the single metals or minerals in a detailed manner. In addition, Walter Pohl describes the “practice of economic geology,” which I consider helpful for those who want to know what needs to be done to identify new deposits. Explanations in 25 boxes help the reader to understand the overall connections and selected deposits. “Economic Geology” can be considered the most up-todate general textbook about ore deposits, non-metallic rocks and minerals, and salt deposits. It has 26 well-organized index pages and 78 pages of the latest references – and I have the feeling that the last one was added the day before
* Christian Wolkersdorfer [email protected] 1
Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), 175 Nelson Mandela Drive, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
the book went into print. In addition, the book also covers the principles of economic geology, fossil energy, and raw materials, as well as petroleum and natural gas deposits. Walter Pohl includes all relevant aspects of economic geology in a broader sense and with about 1000 references, he allows the reader to look up all the details of the ore deposits he covers – including contradicting hypotheses about various deposits. Adding the industrial minerals and rocks to the book is an excellent add-on and increases the value of the book for a broad readership. I very much liked the personal touch of the book. Comments such as “I suggest that the Ore Geology authors regularly should include sections on the classification of their examined deposit” or s
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