Precambrian Geology And Metamorphic Petrology

The proceedings of the 30th International Geological Congress held in Beijing, China in August 1997. This volume focuses on Precambrian geology and metamorphic petrology. It aims to present a view of contemporary geology to researchers interested in the geological sciences.

This volume draws together and generalises new geological, geochronological, petrological and geophysical material for the two fundamental continental geostructures within the USSR - ancient cratons and Phanerozoic fold belts. It provides a complete Precambrian history for each tectonic province or "geoblock", with emphasis on the early Precambrian as opposed to the late. The characteristics of lithological-structural complexes and their correlations are presented in detail. Analysis of the sedimentary, magmatic and metamorphic processes is provided, paying special attention to the sequence of their evolution and isotopic data. This work will be of interest to geologists concerned with the problems of structure and evolution of the Precambrian lithology.

Principles of Precambrian Geologyis an update to the 1991 book, Precambrian Geology: The Dynamic Evolution of the Continental Crust, by the same author. The new edition covers the same topics in a more concise and accessible format and is replete with explanatory figures, tables, and illustrations. The book serves as a modern comprehensive statement on the Earth's Precambrian crust, covering the main aspects of distribution, lithiostratigraphy, age, and petrogenesis of Precambrian rocks by continent within the context of the Earth's evolving continental crust. Principles of Precambrian Geology provides a suitable framework for assessing various Earth dynamic and biospheric hypotheses, including the modern plate tectonic paradigm and the Gaian hypothesis. Despite the concise format, the new edition provides extensive updated references to support the information presented. It is designed to serve the needs of student, teacher, explorationist and general student of the continental crust. Updated to provide more concise accessible information Extensive illustrations, tabulations, and maps Provides a framework for assessing recent hypothesis on Earth dynamics Covers main aspects of distribution, lithostratigraphy, age, and protogenesis of Precambrian rocks

Concise introductory textbook on the petrology of igneous and metamorphic rocks for one-semester courses. Topics are organized around the types of rocks to expect in tectonic environments, rather than around rock classifications. Application boxes engage students by showing how petrology connects to wider aspects of geology. Includes end-of-chapter exercises.

In Earth evolution, mountain belts are the loci of crustal growth, reworking and recycling. These crustal-scale processes are unravelled through microscale investigations of textures and mineral assemblages of metamorphic rocks. Multiple episodes of metamorphism, re-equilibration and deformation, however, generally produce a complex and tightly interwoven pattern of microstructures and assemblages. Over the last two decades, the combination of advanced computing and technological capabilities with new concepts has provided a vast array of novel petrological tools and high-resolution/high-sensitivity techniques for microanalysis and imaging. Such novel approaches are proving fundamental to untangling the enigma represented by metamorphism with an unprecedented level of detail and confidence. As a result, the first decade and a half of this century has already seen the tumultuous development of new research avenues in metamorphic petrology. This book aims to provide a timely overview of the state of the art of this field, of newly developed petrological techniques, future advancements and significant new case studies.

This book is about metamorphic rocks: the processes involved in their formation and the reasons why they occur at particular places on the continents. It has been written to serve as an elementary text on the subjects of metamorphism and mountain building for non-specialist stu dents of geology. It will be equally useful where geology is either the main or subsidiary subject and could be used by students intending to advance further in geology (the list of advanced texts in the further reading section would be more appropriate to such students). My inten tion in writing this book has been to try to dispel the notion that metamorphism comprises the 'haunted wing' of geology. Admittedly, there are rather a large number of technical terms in the book, but I hope that after working through it you will not find metamorphism an unduly difficult or obscure aspect of geology. Throughout, I have emphasised the strong links between mountain building, plate tectonics and metamorphic processes. The book introduces metamorphic rocks by considering their textures and field relations, then moves on to deal with the factors controlling metamorphism. Case studies of areas of metamorphic rocks are then presented in the context of modern theories of the Earth's activity, and the place of metamorphic rocks in the formation of ancient and young mountain belts is analysed. New technical terms and concepts are explained in context as they are introduced, important terms being emphasised in bold print.