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Phosphate deposits of the World. Volume 2: Phosphate rock resources
2900
Book Reviews
erogenic episodes and changes in relative plate motion. Trumpy presents a model relating along-strike variations in facies belts within the Alps to transtensional development of basins and platforms along a Mesozoic transform boundary that accomm~ated lateral motion between Africa and Eurasia. Armstrong presents an impressive summary of the magmatic history of the Canadian Cordillera based on maps and space-time plots constructed from a geochronometric data base consisting of 3000 isotopic dates. These data help to constrain the timing of terrane accretion and provide a means to compare and contrast subductionrelated magmatic episodes in different sectors of the Circum-Pacific erogenic system. Le Pichon et al. discuss the tectonic development of the Alpine belt in a plate kinematic framework and demonstrate a correlation between predicted relative motions and paleostress trajectories reconstructed from fault populations in the European platform. Their kinematic analysis provides a quantitative estimate of the amount of continental crust that was subducted during continental collision. The final two chapters of the volume are examples of the mechanical approach to understanding the development of mounlain
Phosphate Deposits of the World. ~ol~rn~ 2: Phosphate Rock Resources editedby A. J. G. Notholt, R. P. Sheldon, and D. F. Davidson. Cambridge University Press, 1989, 566p., U.S. $165.00. (ISBN O52 I-30509 8). THREE VOLUMES OF Phosphate Deposits of the World have been
published to date, all of them as an outgrowth of Project 156 of the International Geological Correlation Program (IGCP). Two of the three were arranged upon a p~ncipally ~mtigmphic basis. Volume 1 treats the “Phanerozoic and Cambrian Phosphorites,” and volume 3 is devoted to “Neogene to Modem phosphorites.” In contrast, volume 2 reflects the efforts of Working Group 2 of the project, “International Phosphate Resource Data Base.” In a sense, this is an inventory listing of the phosphate deposits of the world. In spite of the abundance of review papers, and of various sources in which reserves and resources of phosphor&es are listed, this book fills a void which has been felt by anybody seriously interested in any aspect of phosphorites and phosphate deposits. Phosphorus is an essential constituent of plant and animal life. Hence, the application of phosphate fertilizers is an essential step in modern agriculture. Furthermore, the application of phosphorus can not be substituted for by any other commodity. Fortunately, phosphate rock is widely distributed throughout the world both geograpbically and geolo~c~ly. Presently less than a dozen countries account for practically the entire phosphate production of about 134 million tons per year. It is one of the impressive messages of this book that, given adequate technologies and economic conditions, this number may increase many-fold. The 110 participants from 39 countries contributed 93 chapters to the volume. The organization of the book is purely geographic. The major divisions are North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, USSR and the Mongolian Peoples Republic, and Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania. Each major geographic division is preceded by an Introduction. In these the editors present a listing of the resources in the relevant area, a map of their distribution, a review of the major sedimentary stratigraphy. and a general description of the igneous resources. The introductions also
Modern Powder Dzj’iaction edited by David L. Bish and Jeffrey E. Post. Reviews in Mineralogy 20, Mineralogical Society of America, 1989, 369p., US $20.00 (ISBN O-939950-24-3). X-RAY POWDER DIFFRACTION has come a very long way since the days of the DeBye-Schemer camera and the anal~-recoding powder diffractometer. This volume was produced in conjunction with a
belts which has made great strides in recent years. Dahlen and Suppe discuss the critical taper wedge model for fold-thrust belts and accretionary prisms. Molnar and Lyon-Caen analyze the forces associated with the development and support of moun~n belts, including mechanical strength and gravity. Because of the broad scope of the contributions, individuals may find a limited number of papers directly applicable to their own research and may not, therefore, consider it a necessary addition to a personal library. It represents an important resource, however, for anyone wishing to get an excellent sample of modern tectonic methodology. Many of the chapters would make suitable reading assignments for upper-level courses addressing regional geology or the geotectonic evolution of mountain belts. The volume provides a wealth of new tectonic ideas that will serve as models for future investigations of continental deformation.
The Ohio State University Department ~~Ge0log.v and ~inera~og~~ Columbus, OH 43210-1398, USA
Terry J. Wilson
contain general production figures for the years 1977-1987. The book could probably have benefited from a general introducto~ chapter on the world distribution of phosphate rocks. The country by country (or by major deposit) reports include a description of the location, geology, stratigraphy, mineralogy and petrography, age relationships, chemical characteristics (both major elements and traces), and estimates of reserves and resources and production. The editors made an effort to direct the different contributors to standardize their chapters so that for each deposit the essential info~ation can be found in the same order. However, standardization did not succeed in all respects; throughout the volume where concentration of niobium is reported it is referred to as “Nb”; in chap. 10, however, (The Mart&n Carbonatite, Ontario, Canada), the antiquated columbium is revived and listed as “Cb”. In a random sampling of five students and faculty who were asked to identify CbzOs, all were unable to do so. Obviously, even a very con~ientious reviewer could hardly be expected to read the full length of such an essentially encyclopedic work. As with encyclopedias a possible test is to sample several familiar items. If those are accurate, chances are that so is the rest of the book. Upon applying this test to several phosphate deposits with which I am familiar, the volume (authors and editors) passed with flying colors. The information is correct, thorough, and up to date. When reviewing Volume 1 of the sequence (Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 53, 2 133-2 134), I remarked that an index would be helpful. Here only an index of deposits/areas is provided. In the case of a book which is essentially a data base, a thorough index, covering a large number of fields is an absolute necessity. The strictly geographical organization of the book is sometimes an obstacle for the reader who is interested in genetic or stratigraphic aspects of phosphate rocks. Only good indexing could help such a reader. In fact, I wonder whether the best way to make such a data base accessible is to release it as a personal computer disk as an appendix to the three volume sequence. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Department of Geology Institute of Earth Sciences Jerusalem, Israel 91904
Yehoshua Kolodny
short course on modern methods of X-ray powder diffractometry held in November, 1989. In it, the editors “have attempted to (1) provide examples illustrating the state-of-the-art in powder diffraction, with emphasis on applications to geologic materials; (2) describe how to obtain hip-quaIity powder diffraction data; and (3) show how to extract maximum information from available data.” Although high temperature and pressure experiments and texture analysis methods
Book Reviews
erogenic episodes and changes in relative plate motion. Trumpy presents a model relating along-strike variations in facies belts within the Alps to transtensional development of basins and platforms along a Mesozoic transform boundary that accomm~ated lateral motion between Africa and Eurasia. Armstrong presents an impressive summary of the magmatic history of the Canadian Cordillera based on maps and space-time plots constructed from a geochronometric data base consisting of 3000 isotopic dates. These data help to constrain the timing of terrane accretion and provide a means to compare and contrast subductionrelated magmatic episodes in different sectors of the Circum-Pacific erogenic system. Le Pichon et al. discuss the tectonic development of the Alpine belt in a plate kinematic framework and demonstrate a correlation between predicted relative motions and paleostress trajectories reconstructed from fault populations in the European platform. Their kinematic analysis provides a quantitative estimate of the amount of continental crust that was subducted during continental collision. The final two chapters of the volume are examples of the mechanical approach to understanding the development of mounlain
Phosphate Deposits of the World. ~ol~rn~ 2: Phosphate Rock Resources editedby A. J. G. Notholt, R. P. Sheldon, and D. F. Davidson. Cambridge University Press, 1989, 566p., U.S. $165.00. (ISBN O52 I-30509 8). THREE VOLUMES OF Phosphate Deposits of the World have been
published to date, all of them as an outgrowth of Project 156 of the International Geological Correlation Program (IGCP). Two of the three were arranged upon a p~ncipally ~mtigmphic basis. Volume 1 treats the “Phanerozoic and Cambrian Phosphorites,” and volume 3 is devoted to “Neogene to Modem phosphorites.” In contrast, volume 2 reflects the efforts of Working Group 2 of the project, “International Phosphate Resource Data Base.” In a sense, this is an inventory listing of the phosphate deposits of the world. In spite of the abundance of review papers, and of various sources in which reserves and resources of phosphor&es are listed, this book fills a void which has been felt by anybody seriously interested in any aspect of phosphorites and phosphate deposits. Phosphorus is an essential constituent of plant and animal life. Hence, the application of phosphate fertilizers is an essential step in modern agriculture. Furthermore, the application of phosphorus can not be substituted for by any other commodity. Fortunately, phosphate rock is widely distributed throughout the world both geograpbically and geolo~c~ly. Presently less than a dozen countries account for practically the entire phosphate production of about 134 million tons per year. It is one of the impressive messages of this book that, given adequate technologies and economic conditions, this number may increase many-fold. The 110 participants from 39 countries contributed 93 chapters to the volume. The organization of the book is purely geographic. The major divisions are North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, USSR and the Mongolian Peoples Republic, and Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania. Each major geographic division is preceded by an Introduction. In these the editors present a listing of the resources in the relevant area, a map of their distribution, a review of the major sedimentary stratigraphy. and a general description of the igneous resources. The introductions also
Modern Powder Dzj’iaction edited by David L. Bish and Jeffrey E. Post. Reviews in Mineralogy 20, Mineralogical Society of America, 1989, 369p., US $20.00 (ISBN O-939950-24-3). X-RAY POWDER DIFFRACTION has come a very long way since the days of the DeBye-Schemer camera and the anal~-recoding powder diffractometer. This volume was produced in conjunction with a
belts which has made great strides in recent years. Dahlen and Suppe discuss the critical taper wedge model for fold-thrust belts and accretionary prisms. Molnar and Lyon-Caen analyze the forces associated with the development and support of moun~n belts, including mechanical strength and gravity. Because of the broad scope of the contributions, individuals may find a limited number of papers directly applicable to their own research and may not, therefore, consider it a necessary addition to a personal library. It represents an important resource, however, for anyone wishing to get an excellent sample of modern tectonic methodology. Many of the chapters would make suitable reading assignments for upper-level courses addressing regional geology or the geotectonic evolution of mountain belts. The volume provides a wealth of new tectonic ideas that will serve as models for future investigations of continental deformation.
The Ohio State University Department ~~Ge0log.v and ~inera~og~~ Columbus, OH 43210-1398, USA
Terry J. Wilson
contain general production figures for the years 1977-1987. The book could probably have benefited from a general introducto~ chapter on the world distribution of phosphate rocks. The country by country (or by major deposit) reports include a description of the location, geology, stratigraphy, mineralogy and petrography, age relationships, chemical characteristics (both major elements and traces), and estimates of reserves and resources and production. The editors made an effort to direct the different contributors to standardize their chapters so that for each deposit the essential info~ation can be found in the same order. However, standardization did not succeed in all respects; throughout the volume where concentration of niobium is reported it is referred to as “Nb”; in chap. 10, however, (The Mart&n Carbonatite, Ontario, Canada), the antiquated columbium is revived and listed as “Cb”. In a random sampling of five students and faculty who were asked to identify CbzOs, all were unable to do so. Obviously, even a very con~ientious reviewer could hardly be expected to read the full length of such an essentially encyclopedic work. As with encyclopedias a possible test is to sample several familiar items. If those are accurate, chances are that so is the rest of the book. Upon applying this test to several phosphate deposits with which I am familiar, the volume (authors and editors) passed with flying colors. The information is correct, thorough, and up to date. When reviewing Volume 1 of the sequence (Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 53, 2 133-2 134), I remarked that an index would be helpful. Here only an index of deposits/areas is provided. In the case of a book which is essentially a data base, a thorough index, covering a large number of fields is an absolute necessity. The strictly geographical organization of the book is sometimes an obstacle for the reader who is interested in genetic or stratigraphic aspects of phosphate rocks. Only good indexing could help such a reader. In fact, I wonder whether the best way to make such a data base accessible is to release it as a personal computer disk as an appendix to the three volume sequence. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Department of Geology Institute of Earth Sciences Jerusalem, Israel 91904
Yehoshua Kolodny
short course on modern methods of X-ray powder diffractometry held in November, 1989. In it, the editors “have attempted to (1) provide examples illustrating the state-of-the-art in powder diffraction, with emphasis on applications to geologic materials; (2) describe how to obtain hip-quaIity powder diffraction data; and (3) show how to extract maximum information from available data.” Although high temperature and pressure experiments and texture analysis methods