BOOK REVIEW — GSC volume on deposit types is both comprehensive and succinct

One of the rewards of being a scientist is knowing that while future research may render a theory obsolete, chances are the researcher’s perceptiveness in arriving at the theory will be forever admired.

This is especially true of the geology of mineral deposits, where theories of origin come and go.

Works on mineral deposits come in two types: those that emphasize empirical observation, and those that emphasize genetic theories.

Works of the former have a longer shelf life, and for evidence one need look no farther than the U.S. Geological Survey’s papers by Waldemar Lindgren, Frank Ransome and W.H. Emmons, which date from the turn of the century.

One the other hand, those looking for the last word on the genesis of deposits might find themselves turning to the Geological Survey of Canada’s new volume on the geology of mineral deposits. Entitled Geology of Canadian Mineral Deposit Types, the volume is an unapologetically empirical treatment of the subject, tackled by 31 specialists in mineral deposits. Throughout, the authors adhere strictly to the book’s objective, which is to provide a detailed description of deposit types significant to exploration in Canada.

The scope is comprehensive — from placer gold to ophiolite-hosted chromite, and everything in between — and the individual chapters begin with careful definitions. The authors then deal succinctly with the important geological features of each type, making reference to host rocks, structural controls, alteration types and mineralogy. Also included are useful (and equally empirical) exploration criteria.

Well-illustrated and reliably edited, the volume bears the GSC’s stamp of excellence on every page. Geologists looking to trade in their bulging file drawers full of photocopied journal articles will find this book compact and comprehensive.

Geology of Canadian Mineral Deposit Types is available in either French or English from the Geological Survey of Canada Bookstore in Ottawa. The cost is $70 in Canada, or $91 for foreign orders. To order a copy, contact the GSC Book Store at (613) 995-4342. Fax: (613) 943-0646.