Heavy Minerals: Methods & Case Histories

The principal aim of this book is to provide a wide range of information and a useful reference for researchers interested to investigate heavy mineral assemblages in different geological settings and for a variety of purposes. The methodological developments achieved in recent years for the identification of heavy minerals in a wide grain-size range are illustrated. All factors that affect heavy mineral concentration and relative proportions including hydraulic sorting mechanical abrasion chemical weathering and post-depositional dissolution and all factors able to introduce analytical environmental or diagenetic bias are thoroughly addressed. A proper integration of multiple techniques including bulk sediment multi-mineral and single-mineral methods are discussed by renowned authors in their invited contributions.