| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 8, 1997 |
Contact Terry Ames: (703) 379-2480 E-mail: geopubs@agiweb.org |
ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- The second edition of the Dictionary of Mining, Mineral, and Related Terms is the culmination of a five-year effort between the U.S.Bureau of Mines and the American Geological Institute (AGI) to produce an up-to-date reference book to serve the needs of today's mining industry. The Dictionary is published in cooperation with the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME). Technological developments and environmental laws and regulations that affect the mining industry have proliferated since 1968, when the previous edition of the mining dictionary was published. Concurrently, the need for a modern mining dictionary -- one that incorporates not only standard mining-related terms but also references to the environment, pollution, automation, health, and safety-- has grown more acute.
The second edition contains approximately 28,500 listings, focusing on mining industry terms. Geological terms that relate to mining are also included, as well as new terms on marine mining, leaching, automation, pollution, and the environment. Many of these terms now have a legal definition based on law or regulation.
More than 100 minerals and mining specialists at the U.S. Bureau of Mines as well as outside experts joined AGI's publications team to produce the Dictionary. Although the bureau has closed, its minerals information functions have been transferred to the U.S.Geological Survey.
Definitions were reviewed by subject specialists, who judged what terms should be retained or deleted; they added and revised definitions as needed. Final judgment regarding the inclusion of existing terms or the addition of new ones was left to the collective discretion of the Dictionary Revision Group, a panel of experts who also cross-checked items with terms listed in SME's Mining Engineering Handbook.
The Dictionary of Mining, Mineral, and Related Terms, 2nd edition, can be ordered from AGI's Publications Center, P.O. Box 205, Annapolis Junction,Md., 20701. Telephone:(301) 953-1744; fax: (301) 206-9789. ISBN 0-922152-36-5. Hardbound,8-1/2" x 11," 800 pages. List price $110.00; AGI Member Society price, $88.00, plus shipping and handling. Contact the Publications Center for more detailed information.