Factsheet Description

Abstract

In the factsheets, which form the core of the present book, we have tried to focus on the presentation of data that are of immediate interest to geochemists and environmental scientists, when trying to interpret their own analytical results. The final selection of presented data is largely based on personal experience (and frustrations) in trying to locate basic information on various elements. Much of this information is needed repeatedly during a geo-chemist’s working day. It is, however, often necessary to scan through scores of pages in several different books and numerous publications only to discover that the information needed is in another source, useless, or non existent. Questions raised by our students, when teaching environmental geochemistry, also guided us in the selection of data. As a scientist, one is often caught up in one’s own field of research, taking for granted what may not be obvious at all. For many years, students at Leoben Mining University have been collecting and presenting such data for a few selected elements as a practical exercise in their Environmental Geochemistry course. This has led to many interesting discussions on what is important information, what is not, and why the most interesting facts are so difficult to obtain.