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Geochemical exploration, 1985, part I and part II
Journal of GeochemicalExploration,34 (1989) 351-353 ElsevierSciencePublishersB.V.,Amsterdam-- Printed in The Netherlands
351
Book Reviews
Geochemical Exploration, 1985, part I and part II, by R.G. Garrett (Editor). Special Publication no. 13 of the Association of Exploration Geochemists. Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam-Oxford-Tokyo-New York, 1987, pp. i-xii+ 1-494 (part I) and i - x + 1-440 (part II). Price Dfi. 550.00 (parts I + II). Geochemical Exploration 1985, which records the l l t h Symposium held in Toronto, Canada is the latest in the series of proceedings of the biennial International Geochemical Exploration Symposia. The two-volume set first appeared as volumes 28 and 29 of the Journal of Geochemical Exploration, about a year ago. These are reprinted as Special Publication 13 of the Association of Exploration Geochemists, still retaining the two-volume format. Included are 46 articles and 35 abstracts (this compares with the 54 oral presentations and 29 poster presentations defined by the editor, R.G. Garrett, in the Foreword) as well as reviews of three workshops and Garrett's Presidential address to the Association. The major topics covered are Uthogeochemical studies, overburden and soil geochemical studies in glaciated terrains, stream and lake sediment and water studies, environmental geochemical studies, case histories and regional studies, analytical chemical studies, and interpretive studies. Most regions of the world, excluding eastern Europe and the USSR, are represented, although the emphasis is heavily tilted toward North America, as would be expected from the location of the symposium. The editor is to be congratulated for the remarkable feat of converting the myriad of linguistic styles and translation quirks into the coherent presentation. Elsevier has also provided an excellent layout, with remarkably few technical glitches. The major function of the international symposia is to provide a periodic review of the state of the art. These symposia also provide a monitor on trends in the development of the exploration geochemical profession. As of 1985, there was still a considerable difference among the geochemical exploration technologies needed by, and most suited to, the various regions of the world. Social as well as technical differences are evident. In remote unexplored areas, complex technologies are neither needed nor are they likely to be functional. In areas that have been prospected for millennia, complex technologies are required. Exploration trends evident in these volumes, at least to this reviewer, include a greater use of isotopic techniques (three direct applications of lead and sulphur isotopes) and a greater emphasis on environmental geochemistry (an entire section devoted to the subject). As expected from the location of the symposia, exploration in glacial terranes gets the heaviest coverage. This is counterbalanced somewhat by several papers on exploration in areas of deep weathering, including both the modern humid, tropical environment and the
352 fossil, tropically weathered profiles in the arid environment of Australia. A unique twist is offered by the award-winning article of R.E. Smith, who describes the superimposition of glacial tills over deeply weathered bedrock in northcentral U.S. The effects on an exploration geochemical program can be dramatic and may be catastrophic, if the situation is not recognized. The timing of the symposium coincided with the depths of the depression in the exploration industry, preceding the gold boom. Remarkably few of the papers deal with exploration for gold and most of these are from Canadian authors. Hemlo was the "new kid on the block," but little was said of its character and exploration criteria. These volumes should be in the library of practicing exploration geochemists. They are already in the library of those who are members of the Association of Exploration Geochemists. Members should guard their copies well; replacement comes dear. By my calculation, the free market cost of this special publication would cover the cost of the next three symposia volumes to Association members. I look forward to the next of these proceedings volumes, which should be available within the year. P A U L K. T H E O B A L D (Denver, C0)
Exploration in the North American Cordillera (GEOEXPO/88), by I.L. Elliott and B.W. Smee (Editors). Assoc. of Exploration Geochemists, Rexdale, Ont., 1987, 220 pp. $ (US) 37.00. This volume is another product of the remarkable vigor of the mineral exploration community of Vancouver, B.C. The volume represents the proceedings of a highly successful symposium organized jointly by the Association of Exploration Geochemists and the Cordilleran Section of the Geological Association of Canada. The main focus is on exploration for precious metals, but tectonics, mineral provinces, diamonds, heavy minerals, deep-sea sulfides, analytical methods, gallium occurrence and 3 geochemical exploration workshops are included among the 25 papers. In the first paper, W.J. McMillan and co-authors present a synthesis of tectonics in the Canadian Cordillera, and correlate deposit types with the complex plate history, including many allochthonous terranes. Goldfarb and coauthors provide a similar treatment of Alaska. Both papers are excellent starting points for studies of regional metallogeny, current tectonic concepts, and literature on the regions. Several papers discuss new methods or valuable case histories of geochemical exploration. Fox and others describe the discovery of the Quesnel River gold deposit using till sampling, which detected down-ice dispersion of Au, As,
351
Book Reviews
Geochemical Exploration, 1985, part I and part II, by R.G. Garrett (Editor). Special Publication no. 13 of the Association of Exploration Geochemists. Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam-Oxford-Tokyo-New York, 1987, pp. i-xii+ 1-494 (part I) and i - x + 1-440 (part II). Price Dfi. 550.00 (parts I + II). Geochemical Exploration 1985, which records the l l t h Symposium held in Toronto, Canada is the latest in the series of proceedings of the biennial International Geochemical Exploration Symposia. The two-volume set first appeared as volumes 28 and 29 of the Journal of Geochemical Exploration, about a year ago. These are reprinted as Special Publication 13 of the Association of Exploration Geochemists, still retaining the two-volume format. Included are 46 articles and 35 abstracts (this compares with the 54 oral presentations and 29 poster presentations defined by the editor, R.G. Garrett, in the Foreword) as well as reviews of three workshops and Garrett's Presidential address to the Association. The major topics covered are Uthogeochemical studies, overburden and soil geochemical studies in glaciated terrains, stream and lake sediment and water studies, environmental geochemical studies, case histories and regional studies, analytical chemical studies, and interpretive studies. Most regions of the world, excluding eastern Europe and the USSR, are represented, although the emphasis is heavily tilted toward North America, as would be expected from the location of the symposium. The editor is to be congratulated for the remarkable feat of converting the myriad of linguistic styles and translation quirks into the coherent presentation. Elsevier has also provided an excellent layout, with remarkably few technical glitches. The major function of the international symposia is to provide a periodic review of the state of the art. These symposia also provide a monitor on trends in the development of the exploration geochemical profession. As of 1985, there was still a considerable difference among the geochemical exploration technologies needed by, and most suited to, the various regions of the world. Social as well as technical differences are evident. In remote unexplored areas, complex technologies are neither needed nor are they likely to be functional. In areas that have been prospected for millennia, complex technologies are required. Exploration trends evident in these volumes, at least to this reviewer, include a greater use of isotopic techniques (three direct applications of lead and sulphur isotopes) and a greater emphasis on environmental geochemistry (an entire section devoted to the subject). As expected from the location of the symposia, exploration in glacial terranes gets the heaviest coverage. This is counterbalanced somewhat by several papers on exploration in areas of deep weathering, including both the modern humid, tropical environment and the
352 fossil, tropically weathered profiles in the arid environment of Australia. A unique twist is offered by the award-winning article of R.E. Smith, who describes the superimposition of glacial tills over deeply weathered bedrock in northcentral U.S. The effects on an exploration geochemical program can be dramatic and may be catastrophic, if the situation is not recognized. The timing of the symposium coincided with the depths of the depression in the exploration industry, preceding the gold boom. Remarkably few of the papers deal with exploration for gold and most of these are from Canadian authors. Hemlo was the "new kid on the block," but little was said of its character and exploration criteria. These volumes should be in the library of practicing exploration geochemists. They are already in the library of those who are members of the Association of Exploration Geochemists. Members should guard their copies well; replacement comes dear. By my calculation, the free market cost of this special publication would cover the cost of the next three symposia volumes to Association members. I look forward to the next of these proceedings volumes, which should be available within the year. P A U L K. T H E O B A L D (Denver, C0)
Exploration in the North American Cordillera (GEOEXPO/88), by I.L. Elliott and B.W. Smee (Editors). Assoc. of Exploration Geochemists, Rexdale, Ont., 1987, 220 pp. $ (US) 37.00. This volume is another product of the remarkable vigor of the mineral exploration community of Vancouver, B.C. The volume represents the proceedings of a highly successful symposium organized jointly by the Association of Exploration Geochemists and the Cordilleran Section of the Geological Association of Canada. The main focus is on exploration for precious metals, but tectonics, mineral provinces, diamonds, heavy minerals, deep-sea sulfides, analytical methods, gallium occurrence and 3 geochemical exploration workshops are included among the 25 papers. In the first paper, W.J. McMillan and co-authors present a synthesis of tectonics in the Canadian Cordillera, and correlate deposit types with the complex plate history, including many allochthonous terranes. Goldfarb and coauthors provide a similar treatment of Alaska. Both papers are excellent starting points for studies of regional metallogeny, current tectonic concepts, and literature on the regions. Several papers discuss new methods or valuable case histories of geochemical exploration. Fox and others describe the discovery of the Quesnel River gold deposit using till sampling, which detected down-ice dispersion of Au, As,