Publisher's Synopsis
A steady increase in interest in biological systems in mineral exploration and processing has led to the need for a book bringing together the multi-disciplinary aspects of the subject. This book encompasses a number of fields in a single volume, including Russian work on the use of barrier-free plant organisms for biogeochemical prospecting.;Other areas discussed are the use of microbes in mineral prospecting and ore processing, the latest developments in biogeochemical prospecting, techniques in chemical analysis of plant material, including the new procedure of ICP-mass spectrometry, and the new advances in the use of termites and other living creatures. The book includes case histories, a practical field guide, and a section on the statistical analysis of data to help the reader use the information successfully.;One important aspect of the use of biological systems in mineral exploration and processing is that biological/microbiological methods of mineral treatment avoid the energy-intensive ore-roasting of minerals, and are therefore very acceptable both to the mining industry and those organizations concerned with environmental matters.
