Review of Handbook of Mineralogy. III. Halides, Hydroxides, Oxides.

From the Canadian Mineralogist (1998) 36, 232.

by Tyson Birkett, SOQUEM.

This is the third volume of a proposed five-volume series of mineral data sheets. Volumes 1 and 2 are reviewed in the Canadian Mineralogist (29, 175-176; 33, 1155). After a brief introduction and a one-page explanation of the format, the book presents summary data on 628 halide, hydroxide and oxide minerals. The entries are in alphabetical order by mineral name. The treatment is pure democracy: one mineral, one page. Each mineral is described by crystal data, physical and optical properties, cell and X-ray data, chemistry, relationships with other species, occurrence, association, distribution, origin of the name, type material and selected references. In general, the scholarship of the authors shines. The data are current to mid-1997.

The intention of the Handbook is "To gather in convenient form the data critical to identification of all mineral species and to provide relatively up-to-date references containing information central to the definition of each species". The chemical, optical and X-ray data alone accomplish this goal. I question, however, whether the straitjacket format is entirely appropriate to a specialist readership. Further, the X-ray

powder patterns and chemical analyses are inadequately referenced. We are left to verify which (if any) of the several literature citations was the source of the data. Unfortunately, the handling of mineral series is also weak. By restricting the definition to "Isomorphous with complete substitution and continuous variation of properties and composition", the authors skirt the more important questions of partial miscibility. Two examples: we find that ilmenite "Forms three series, with ecandrewsite, with geikelite, and with pyrophanite", but the economically important higher-temperature series with hematite is not mentioned. Magnetite "forms two series, with jacobsite, and with magnesioferrite", but as a member of the spinel group, it can form at least partial series with the many other (at least 20) spinel minerals or end-members. The listing of localities under the heading Distribution reads like an inadequate collector’s guide. Although errors are few, one I noticed is that the chemical analyses of bismoclite do not correspond to the formula, but rather to daubréeite. No discussion is offered of the discrepancy or whether these are distinct species. On a positive note, the many calculated chemical compositions offer useful and immediate direct comparisons with the mineral analyses in the adjacent columns.

This is a specialist reference volume. To make the most of it, however, you will need a list of the minerals of specific groups (pyrochlores, spinels, etc.) and some means of identifying minerals from chemical formulae, this, of course, in addition to background knowledge of mineralogy.

The volume is well-prepared, on acid-free paper. I cannot subscribe to the statement in the Acknowl-edgements (iii) of "typographically elegant printed pages". The presentation of many analyses in broken columns is an unfortunate choice, which detracts from the pleasure of using the book. However, I enjoyed leafing through this work, even though I must accept that in the computer age, a book of this sort is technologically obsolete. Some mineralogists might be hesitant to purchase the Handbook because the equivalent information for the entire five-volume set could be available on a single CD-ROM with search and cross-reference capabilities. How does this book relate to others in the field? As a compact and efficient complement to catalogues of mineral names and chemical data, the density of information will make the Handbook a useful reference for many years.