Minerals and Allied Natural Resources – a book review.

Minerals and Allied Natural Resources – a book review. (Vol 103)

The book “Minerals and Allied Natural Resources and their Sustainable Development” by the authors Mihir Deb and Sanjib Chandra Sarkar is some 560 pages in its hard cover. It is available from the Springer publishing house from their book series on Springer Geology [ http://www.springer.com/series/10172 ]. The book is a very broad review of ore genesis as applied to Indian resources. The book covers a huge amount of material under the three main headings of mineral resources, allied natural resources (coal, oil soil and water) and sustainable development. The preference incites us to get involved with geology, and from there on takes us into the detailed science of geology. The book was published in 2017.

The book looks at the geological provinces in relation to plate tectonics and geological age, then introduces us to the geological characteristics in such areas, and the subsequent ore genesis processes. The book is peppered with examples throughout India, and from around the world. Unlike many similar ore resource books, this work treats soil and water as geological resources. I am constantly reminded that geology is a sophisticated science, where only a few can develop a deeper understanding. It is rare that authors can write such a broad all-encompassing book on ore resources.

Indonesian geologists often tend to have a limited focus on Island Arch ore settings, and at first glance may see little relevance of Indian geology and ore settings for Indonesia. It is precisely these differences that can trigger the ingenuity of geologists to be creative in developing ore exploration models to make unexpected discoveries in Indonesia.  The book also reminds me that each country approaches the concepts of resources and reserves from a slightly different perspective.

I spent many years in remote exploration camps with no internet connection and often with just a petromax light. The 6 weeks field work was made all the easier by bringing a collection of books to read for an hour or so every evening. This is a meaty and rewarding book for just such an occasion. It used to be common practice for exploration and mining companies to have an in-house library. Geologists with initiative seek out these libraries as they often contained a rich collection of works that extend the world of geology and ore deposits beyond the typical university libraries. This book encompasses a much broader and more detailed scope than most of the on-line reference works, and would suit the extra reading for the many geological lecturers to draw upon for delivering class material.

By Ian Wollff: The author is an expatriate principal geologist with more than 30 years’ experience in the Indonesian exploration and mining industry. The author’s web site is www.ianwollff.com