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Review of Handbook of Mineralogy. I. Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts. From the Mineralogical Magazine (1991) 55, 146-147. By D. J. Vaughan, Manchester University As the name implies, this (bulky) volume is a compilation of data on minerals aiming, in the words of the authors, to ‘gather in convenient form the data crucial to identification of all mineral species and to provide definition of each species.’ To this end, one page is devoted to each of 588 mineral species belonging to the families of elements (including alloys and intermetallics), sulfides (including other chalcogenides) and sulphosalts (including sulphoxides and sulphalides). The minerals are listed alphabetically by name and the format of presentation is consistent throughout. With the name is given an idealized chemical formula and then information listed under the following headings: crystal data, physical properties, optical properties, cell data, X-ray powder pattern (up to seven most intense lines), chemistry (analyses with calculated formula), polymorphism and series (noted as appropriate), occurrence, association (i.e. associated minerals), distribution (most important localities), name (significance and origin), type material (i.e. Museum holdings of type material) and references ( i.e. citations used to define the data summary for the species). This is intended to be the first volume of a five volume series, future volumes dealing with silica and silicates (Vol. II); halides, hydroxides, oxides (Vol. III); arsenates, phosphates, uranates, vanadates (Vol. IV); borates, carbonates, and sulfates (Vol. V). The compilation of so large a body of data is a formidable task, and the authors are to be congratulated on embarking on such a project. The data contained in this first volume will be of considerable value to researchers and professional mineralogists. It certainly is not a text to put before students or those with a more casual interest in mineralogy (it contains no drawings, illustrations or tables and very little explanation of the data presented). To the extent that no comparable modern compilation exists, it is a valuable addition to the literature. However, in a number of respects it falls short of what the professional would ideally hope for in a detailed and precise compilation. For example, the sources of data on many of the properties are not explicitly stated and the references given, although the most important references in many cases, are not directly linked to the properties. A case in point is the citation of data on optical properties of opaque minerals, apparently derived from a data base held at the University of Missouri-Rolla and itself derived from other sources. The analytical and optical data are not therefore linked in the way that, for example, the data in the COM Quantitative Data File (Criddle and Stanley, editors) are linked. This makes it difficult or impossible for the reader to trace original sources and hence be entirely satisfied that the data presented are the most reliable. Given improvements in this respect in the four volumes yet to be published, this series appears set to become an important source for professional mineralogists and to provide essential reference volumes for the major science libraries. |