Customer Reviews
A visual aid to studying minerals in thin section - By: Linda Rogers, 21 May 2008 
I am currently studying geology through the Open University, & was really struggling to get my head around what minerals I was actually trying to identify. It's hard to read a description of a mineral & then try to interpret it visually. This book has come to the rescue & has been invaluable to me. Nice book & pictures are great.
Brilliant for 1st years, but perhaps not a long-term investment? - By: Ms. A. Martin, 03 Mar 2008 I'm a first year Earth Sciences student & found this book invaluable, as a revision guide but also to clear up anything I was unsure on.
The photographs are excellent & the text well-written.
I do appreciate, however, that for some it may be a bit basic: I don't really see myself using this much beyond this first year of my degree scheme.
In short, great for a better basic understading, but not a great long-term investment... I borrowed mine from the uni library - perhaps a better idea.
Good book for beginners or out-of-practice seasoned pros. - By: , 04 Mar 2004 
I wasin two minds about buying this book after reading the previous reviews. However, I am very happy with the purchase.
The book is great for students new to the study of rocksin thin section. It covers all of the most important rock-forming minerals & then introduces the rocks that they are most commonly found in. There are also sections covering most of the most common & important textures. The accompanying text is simple & easy to understand & does not become bogged down with elaborate language or over-complication.
Allin all, a good low-cost option for 1st & 2nd year students who take fright at the price of Mackenzie's Atlases.
Atlas of Rocks and Minerals - By: Ms. L. Clayton, 06 Dec 2002 An excellent book for my BSc Geology degree. Very helpful if you are unsure about the properties & appearances of certain mineralsin thin section. An invaluable tool. Anyone who says it is not useful is obviously not using it correctly!
This atlas is not really that useful - By: , 29 Jan 2001 
I bought this atlas & basically all it is really is pretty pictures. Not worth the money. If you want real helpin mineralogy then buy "A practical introduction to optical mineralogy" by Gribble & Hall instead.
The colour atlas is a real beginner's guide which shows the perfect examples of various rocksin thin section & the more popular minerals. The section on feldspars is ok, but could go into more detail - it only shows sanidine, microcline & plagioclase for some odd reason.
As it result this book lay unused for three years & was a sheer waste. Spend your loans on other books by MacKenzie - but not this one!
