Geochemistry studies the origin, evolution and distribution of chemical elements on Earth which are containedin the rock-forming minerals and the products derived from it, as well as in living beings, water and atmosphere. One of the goals of geochemistry is to determine the abundance of elements in nature, as this information is essential to hypotheses development about the origin and structure of our planet and the universe. The realm of geochemistry extends beyond the earth, encompassing the entire solar system and has made important contributions to the understanding of a number of processes including mantle convection, the formation of planets and the origins of granite and basalt. Among the fundamental principles of geochemistry is the recognition of geochemical environments that are developed in the earth's crust. geochemical exploration focuses on the determination of the elements of the ore or elements associated with the ore that are dispersed, called respectively indicator elements and guide elements. Geochemistry has both pure and applied components. Pure Geochemistry is concerned with answering how and why the earth and solar system reached their current chemical state. Applied Geochemistry benefits humanity in many ways, including geochemical prospecting, environmental geochemistry, chemostratigraphy.
Modern geochemical research also includes the study of chemical transformations of biological materials in rocks and the cyclic flow of individual elements (and their compounds) between living and non-living systems. Since the 1960s, certain areas of geochemical research have become interlinked with cosmology—e.g., the study of the origin and relative abundance of elements in the solar system, the Milky Way Galaxy, and the universe as a whole; the chemical composition of meteorites; and the ages of terrestrial and lunar rocks. To find minerals, geochemistry is a tool, just like geophysics or geology, to find interesting minerals and ore deposits. Hence it is important for prospectors to gain an appreciation of the meaning of geochemical terms such as “background”, “anomaly” etc. Metals occur in tiny amounts in rock and soil. This book is a compilation of chapters that discuss the most vital and fundamental concepts in the field of geochemistry. The topics covered in this extensive book deal with the core areas of this subject. Coherent flow of topics, student-friendly language and extensive use of examples make this book an invaluable source of knowledge.
Robbin Kent holds Ph.D. in Quaternary Geology from Public University of Science, Siena. He is a Guest Lecturer at University College, Lisboa. Having more than a decade of teaching experience, he has contributed to several of research papers and articles. He has written a number of research articles on fossil assemblages and the geologic history of the Earth and extra-terrestrial bodies. He has keen interest in geochronological techniques to deliver increasingly more accurate and precise ages, which underpin attempts to determine the causes and consequences of events at a variety of temporal and spatial scales.
