Werner, Abraham G.; New Theory of the Formation of Veins; with Application to the Art of Working Mines, translated from the German with an appendix by C. Anderson. Edinburgh, 1809. Octavo, pp. xxxvi, 259, portrait. Very scarce.
The work is complete and in a contemporary calf over marbled boards with gilt spine titles and the gilt label of the Cornwall Geological Society on lower spine. Light wear to binding edges, light foxing to title, text is clean and bright. In very good condition.
Werner (1749-1817) was a German mineralogist & geologist. He was from aGerman mining family and attended the Freiberg Bergakademie. In 1775, Werner was appointed professor of mineralogy at that institution and he remained there for the rest of his professional life as a teacher and researcher in the sciences of mineralogy and geology. His students, many of whom became famous instructors in there own right, spread his theories throughout Europe and North America.
Werner accumulated an extensive personal mineral collection of over 10,000 specimens, which he sold to the Freiberg Bergakademie. Today, it is together with Werner's library among the earliest of the great mineral collections that still remains intact.
Amongst his famous writings is his foundation text to the modern studies of economic geology, “New Theory of the Formation of Veins”. This work describes the basic techniques used in ore deposit studies. Werner, presents his theory of the origin of ore deposits and the emplacement of veins. He establishes criteria for detecting the relative ages of veins and vein materials, and gives a detailed study of vein structure and the rocks in which they occur.
