Book excerpt: The book will be beneficial for: * The undergraduate course in mineralogy, crystallography, petrology & economic geology. * Post graduate students for their economic geology course. * Useful as a ready reckoner for competitive examinations and job interviews and entrepreneurs in mineral industry. * Civil Engineering students will also find this book suitable for their basic courses in mineralogy-petrology. * the text, as far as possible is precise, concise and up-to-date in facts and figures, adequately illustrated and includes photographs and micro-photographs.