328 Book review /Journui o$ Volcanology and Georhennal Research 64 (1995) 327-329

deal with the use of soil gas exploration in metal and and exhaustive. The writer is a well-known authority
geothermal exploration. in the field and many examples are drawn from studies
This book contains a wealth of information and done under his guidance. He presents an objective view
brings the reader information on many case histories as of the material, while he has reserved some short sec-
well as a treatment of the methods, analytical tech- tions to present his own judgement on methods and
niques and data analyses. I can imagine that some less approaches. I recommend this book to all graduate stu-
patient readers would have preferred a more concise dents and professionals actively involved with geo-
approach with a more stringent separation between chemical exploration, and every earth science
departmental library should have it in the stacks.
facts, models, theory and explanations. Overall, I
appreciated the comprehensive approach and if the
JOOP VAREKAMP
publisher of this journal had not sent me a copy I would (Middletown. CT)
have bought one. The reference list is 25 pages long

Volcanic Textures: A Guide to the Interpretation of Textures in Volcanic Rocks, by J. McPhie, M. Doyle and R.
Allen. Centre for Ore Deposit and Exploration Studies, University of Tasmania, 1993, 198 pages. This volume
is available from the CODES, University of Tasmania, GPO Box 252C, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 7001. The
cost is $Australian 75.00, plus $9.00 for postage within Australia, or $15.00 for overseas surface mail. Payment
is by Mastercard or Visa.

The interpretation of volcanic processes, deposits duction to the mineralised Mount Read Volcanics in
and textures, particularly from older geological western Tasmania, from which examples are used
sequences, is a major challenge to most other than spe- extensively throughout the volume.
cialist volcanologists. A result has been a tendency for The ‘Common components, textures and structures
the volcanic record to be inadequately interpreted, or in volcanic deposits’ are described and illustrated in
worse, to be completely misinterpreted. Drs J. McPhie, Part 2. Particular emphasis is given to the features,
M. Doyle and R. Allen are to be congratulated in pro- important for description and interpretation, that usu-
ducing a volume that admirably fulfills its aim to pro- ally survive diagenesis and moderate hydrothermal
vide a practical guide to the description and alteration, low-grade metamorphism and deformation.
interpretation of important textures in lavas, syn-vol- Features described and illustrated, both in diagrams and
canic intrusions, and a wide variety of volcaniclastic colour plates, include phenocrysts, vesicles, devitrifi-
deposits. The volume will be of particular value to the cation, spherulites, perlite, pumice and scoria, achne-
targeted users such as exploration geologists, graduate liths, bombs, glass shards, lithic fragments,
students and other earth scientists with an interest in accretionary lapilli, fiamme, flow foliations, etc.
physical volcanology, and will also be a useful refer- Part 3 describes ‘Lavas, syn-volcanic intrusions and
ence manual to those already well versed in physical related volcaniclastic deposits’ in both subaqueous and
volcanology. subaerial depositional environments. The important
Part 1 ‘Interpreting textures: terminology and tech- lithofacies characteristics of lavas and syn-volcanic
niques’ describes the organisation of the volume and intrusions are reviewed with emphasis on related auto-
introduces the reader to the terminology and techniques elastic deposits, internal structures and facies geometry.
used in interpreting textures. Diagrams clearly portray Again, the features and processes are clearly illustrated
the characteristics of lavas and syn-volcanic intrusions, with excellent diagrams and colour photographs.
pyroclastic deposits, resedimented syn-eruptive vol- ‘Pyroclastic, resedimented volcaniclastic and vol-
caniclastic deposits and volcanogenic sedimentary canogenic sedimentary deposits’ are reviewed in Part
deposits, and give examples and symbols for graphic 4. This chapter starts with a genetic classification of
logs in field notebooks. It concludes with a brief intro- volcaniclastic deposits and a section on the transport
 Book reviews /Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 64 (1995) 327-329 329

and deposition of volcaniclastic particles. This is fol- and related autoclastic breccias, and the alteration of
lowed by descriptions of mass movement and mass- pumiceous deposits. These describe original textures
flow deposits, primary pyroclastic flow deposits, and the effects on these of diagenetic, hydrothermal
subaqueously emplaced pyroclast-rich mass-flow and metamorphic alteration.
deposits, water-supported and gravity-driven volcani- One minor quibble is that it would be useful to have
elastic mass flows and their deposits, traction transport some indication in the index as to on which page par-
and volcaniclastic traction current deposits, suspension ticular terms are defined.
transport and volcaniclastic suspension deposits, and The authors and publisher of this volume are to be
finally sedimentation in volcanic terranes. congratulated on its high standard of presentation. It is
The important, but often poorly understood and thus clearly written and organised, and well illustrated with
avoided topic of ‘Alteration: an integral part of textural fifty-nine figures depicting volcanic processes and tex-
evolution’ is discussed and illustrated in Part 5, largely tures. The 46 plates, each with up to eight coloured
using examples from the Mount Read Volcanics. Alter- photographs, are a particularly attractive feature and
give an invaluable insight into how the volcanic depos-
ation is defined as a change in the mineralogy and
its and textures described in the volume appear in field
texture of a deposit, and it is stressed that textures
outcrop, hand specimen and thin section.
evolve as post-eruptive processes take place and that
no features can be considered immutable. There are J. KNUTSON
sections on the alteration of lavas, shallow intrusions (Canberra, Australia)