Applied Geophysics in the Search for Minerals

THE location of mineral deposits and structures associated with the formation of minerals by their deformation of natural and artificial fields of physical force is a comparatively recent branch of geophysics, having its origin mainly in the economic requirements created by the War, and owing much of its development to the methods evolved during the War for the detection of unseen bodies. The literature describing the various methods and apparatus used consists mainly of scattered papers in technical journals. Notable attempts to coordinate this mass of material have been made by Ambronn, in his book on applied geophysics, translated from the original German by Dr. M. C. Cobb (“Elements of Geophysics” see NATURE, July 13, 1929, p. 52), and by the American Society of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers in the symposium “Geophysical Prospecting, 1929”. The former work outlines the early history of applied geophysics and is a mine of information on related literature, but is written rather for the specialist than the general reader. The latter work is a collection of essentially specialist papers on details of procedure and practical work.Applied Geophysics in the Search for Minerals.By Prof. A. S. Eve Prof. D. A. Keys. Pp. x + 253. (Cambridge: At the University Press, 1929.) 12s. 6d. net.