Summary

Abstract

Surface geochemistry is still an evolving exploration tool. Gains in its acceptance have resulted from an expanding data base, supplemented by increasing success, rather than from any significant technological breakthrough. This book was written to bring together several related techniques and present them in an objective format, supported with case histories and methods to improve analytic interpretation. The conclusion is that these techniques can increase and enhance the success of an exploration program. The methods have often been criticized on the grounds that most published American studies have been written by contractors or promoters, whose published work may lack objectivity and whose motivation may be self-interest. University researchers have published reviews or investigated new geochemical concepts but, for the most part, their work has contradicted or ignored field results. End users or explorationists have either not published or the surveys they presented are unconvincing for lack of hard data.