Practical Approach to Crystallography, Mineralogy and Petrology

These two books by Rabindra Nath Hota, Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa, under review, are a welcome, low cost editions to students of geology besides others who want to understand practical aspects on these subjects. Classification of crystals, stereographic projections of crystals, determination of axial ratios and problems related to zonal laws are covered lucidly besides physical and determinative aspects on minerals using different instruments for specific gravity and the optical properties using the petrological microscope is well laid out with tabulated material for ready reference. Computation of mineral formulae from a given chemical analysis of minerals is also provided with examples.