Author Description

Most of us take for granted the Earth's crust, the thin outer layer of the planet that forms the continents and ocean floors. Formed 4.5 billion years ago, and still moving and growing today, the crust of the Earth is made of a huge variety of rocks and minerals. This book explores and explains the world of rocks and minerals, beginning with a look at the structure of the Earth and the ways in which minerals are formed. Neil Grant then goes on to explain topics such as identifying minerals, volcanoes and lava, fossils, gems, building a rock collection, and the formation of coal and oil beneath the Earth's surface. With beautiful illustrations on every page, Rocks and Minerals is an educational and colorful guide to planet Earth.