The Economic Aspect of Geology

Rocks, water, fuels and metals become economic resources in C. K. Leith's study of the links between geology and industry. Its chapters move from the origins of minerals and the structure of deposits to their exploration, commercial value and conservation. Alongside coal, oil and iron ores, the contents give space to soils, building stone, fertilizers and underground water, showing how widely geological knowledge enters practical decisions.

The discussion of gold deposits offers a detailed example of this approach. Leith explains how erosion, transport and differences in weight concentrate valuable minerals in stream deposits, then considers older deposits buried and altered within rock. Scientific explanations sit beside questions about whether a deposit can be worked profitably. Chapters on taxation, ownership laws and international trade extend the subject beyond the mine. Readers interested in the history of resource use can trace how an early twentieth-century geologist connected physical processes with economic choices.