Humanity’s ever-increasing hunger for mineral raw materials,caused by a growing global population and ever increasingstandards of living, has resulted in economic geologybecoming a subject of urgent importance. This book provides a broad panorama of mineral deposits,covering their origin and geological characteristics, theprinciples of the search for ores and minerals, and theinvestigation of newly found deposits. Practical and environmentalissues that arise during the life cycle of a mine and after itsclosure are addressed, with an emphasis on sustainable and "green"mining.The central scientific theme of the book is to place theextraordinary variability of mineral deposits in the frame offundamental geological processes.The book is written for earth science students and practicinggeologists worldwide. Professionals in administration, resourcedevelopment, mining, mine reclamation, metallurgy, and mineraleconomics will also find the text valuable.Economic Geology is a fully revised translation of thethe fifth edition of the German language text Mineralische undEnergie-Rohstoffe.Additional resources for this book can be foundat: www.wiley.com/go/pohl/geology.The author's website can be found at: http://www.walter-pohl.com.