A guide that is both accessible to hobbyists and useful to experts, translated from the German edition published in 1985. Some 600 stunning color photographs show specimens from all over the world. Each specimen is described in detail, including origin and structure, chemical composition, hardness, color, and other properties. The introduction discusses the basics of mineralogy and provides a list of general features used in the identification of rocks and minerals. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.