Description

Practical Approach to Crystallography and Mineralogy has been written in an easy to read style with a number of examples and figures for better understanding by the beginners.
The crystallography section includes the fundamentals concepts, description of all the crystals belonging to thirty-two symmetry classes and the methods of identification of crystal models. The chapter on stereographic projection depicts step-by-step procedure of projection of the forms belonging to different systems, determination of axial ratios and indices of crystal faces. Preliminary concept of zone and zonal laws in crystallography has been well illustrated and numerous numerical problems are given for practice by the students.
The mineralogy section is broadly divided into two sub-sections, viz. physical mineralogy and optical mineralogy. The physical mineralogy deals with the study of physical properties of the minerals in hand specimens. Physical properties and uses of 223 common minerals are given in alphabetical order for easy reference. The optical mineralogy includes preparation of thin and polished sections and description of optical characters of rock-forming and opaque ore minerals in thin and polished sections respectively. Optical properties of 103 rock-forming and 45 opaque ore minerals have been listed in alphabetical order. The chapter on determination of chemical formula of mineral from analytical data is illustrated with a number of examples and a good number of problems have been given for practice by the students.
Rabindra Nath Hota PUD.DSC is currently Professor, Postgraduate Department of Geology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, where he has served for more than 30 years. He did his PhD degree on subsurface geology of Barakar formation and DSc on sedimentation of Damuda group of Talcher coalfield.