Elements of Chemical and Physical Geology By Gustav Bischof PhD (1859)
3 vols.
Elements of Chemical and Physical Geology is a foundational 3-volume textbook written by the German geologist Gustav Bischof and published in English by the Cavendish Society between 1854 and 1859.
It remains a landmark historical reference, laying early groundwork for modern geochemistry and geophysics.The seminal text explores how chemical and physical processes shape the Earth.
Key themes in the treatise include:
Mineral & Rock Formation: Detailed analyses of crystallography, mineral composition, and the physical properties of rocks (e.g., hardness, density).
Geological Processes: Studies on how the Earth's surface is shaped by weathering, erosion, and chemical alteration.
Organic Materials: Early scientific investigations into the composition and alteration of organic geological deposits, such as the conversion of wood into coal.
Bischof himself has been considered the founder of chemical geology. More a chemist than a geologist, he introduced chemical analysis into widespread use in geology. His Lehrbuch der chemischen und physikalischen Geologie (Bonn: Marcus, 1847−1866) was the standard text of geochemistry and a classic reference work. The first volume (in two parts) considers the actions of water both on the earth and internal to it, including the temperature, chemical composition and effects of springs on rocks around them.
His was the first account to scientifically address springs. Volume II (in 7 parts) discusses mineralogy, petrology, and the origin of rocks. He describes the chemical composition, structure, texture, and the chemical and mechanical forces involved in the decomposition of minerals and rocks, including the effects of decomposing organic remains. In doing so, he created a new branch of geology.
Bischof's work was highly valuable for its extensive and careful chemical analyses. Bischof was less successful in the interpretations he placed on his results, as he supported theories of Neptunism, later disproved.
Ex Library Copy. Herbert Lister Bowman Library; Laboratory of Mineralogy at the University of Oxford.
R1,500
