Field Guide to Rocks & Minerals of Southern Africa

Southern Africa boasts many spectacular examples of rocks and minerals; volcanic lava make up the dramatic Drakensberg mountain range, granite mountains form stunning scenery in Namibia and Zimbabwe, and some of the most ancient rocks on Earth - over 3000 million years old - are to be found on the subcontinent. The region is home to many important and interesting minerals, as well as a wide array of beautiful gemstones - diamonds from South Africa, emeralds from Zimbabwe and tourmalines from Namibia. "Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals of Southern Africa" is the first definitive field guide to document the common, rare and unusual rocks and minerals of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland and southern Mozambique. Supported by more than 500 full-color photographs, the text describes in detail a wide range of the region’s common and attractive rocks and minerals. Authoritative information is presented in a user-friendly manner and is enlivened by box and panel features. It will appeal to mineral collectors, geologists, gemologists, students, and anyone with an interest in the natural environment.

Professor Bruce Cairncross is chairman of the geology department at the Rand Afrikaans University in Johannesburg. He has an inherent interest in Southern African mineralogy and geology, and his research efforts are aimed at ocumenting important geological sites and promoting the preservation of the region’s ineralogical heritage. He is the author and co-author of four books, The Minerals of South Africa, The Manganese Adventure, The Desmond Sacco Collection – Focus on Southern Africa and the First Field Guide to Gemstones of Southern Africa. He is consulting editor for an American journal, Rocks & Minerals, and is an accomplished photographer of minerals and gemstones.