The fourth edition of Introduction to Mineralogy combines material now covered in both traditional and optical mineralogy courses and focuses on describing minerals within their geologic context.

Introduction to Mineralogy is suitable as a primary or supporting text for mineralogy, optical mineralogy, petrology, earth materials, and/or economic geology courses. It presents the important content of mineralogy including
crystallography, chemical bonding, controls on mineral structure, mineral stability, and crystal growth to provide a foundation that enables students to understand the nature and occurrence of minerals.

Graham Baird is a Professor at the University of Northern Colorado; he succeeded Dr. Nesse in the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences department upon Dr. Nesse's retirement. Dr. Baird contributed to both the second and third editions of the text and is coming onto the fourth edition as a full co-author.

Dr. Baird teaches the introduction to mineralogy course, as well as physical geology, petrology, and geologic field techniques. He is actively doing research in the Front Range of Colorado, the Adirondacks of northern New York, and in the Kebnekaise region of northern Sweden. In addition to working with both undergraduates and master-level students on their research projects, Dr. Baird created a TED-Ed lesson on crystals.

William D. Nesse is Professor Emeritus of Geology at the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Northern Colorado. He is the author of both Introduction to Mineralogy and Optical Mineralogy.

PART ONE. Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry
1. Introduction
2. Crystallography
3. Crystal Chemistry
4. Crystal Structure
5. Mineral Growth

PART TWO. Mineral Properties, Study, and Identification
6. Physical Properties of Minerals
7. Optical Mineralogy
8. Introduction to X-Ray Crystallography
9. Chemical Analysis of MineralsZ
10. Strategies for Study

PART THREE. Mineral Descriptions
11. Silicates
12. Framework Silicates
13. Sheet Silicates
14. Chain Silicates
15. Disilicates and Ring Silicates
16. Orthosilicates
17. Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Tungstates, Molybdates, and Borates
18. Oxides, Hydroxides, and Halides
19. Sulfides and Related Minerals
20. Native Elements

APPENDICES
A. Effective Ionic Radii of the Elements
B. Determinative Tables
C. Mineral Association