Book excerpt: Foreword: Michigan has a long and varied geologic history that includes repeated episodes of volcanism, mountain building, deposition of marine and terrestrial sediments, and glaciations. As a result, we have been endowed with a rich and diverse assemblage of minerals. Appreciation of Michigan's mineral resources began well before the first Europeans set foot here. When Michigan became a state in 1837, one of the first actions of the fledgling legislature was to establish a geological survey of the state, to "furnish a full and scientific description of its rocks, soils, and minerals and provide specimens of the same" Our mineral resources have been studied, categorized, and evaluated for many years, and we continue to learn more about them today. Michigan minerals helped to build the state and nation, and they continue to be an important industrial and commercial resource, a fertile subject for academic study, and a source of fascination and enjoyment for countless hobbyists.