Geochemistry uses the methods and philosophies of chemistry to explore and understand the Earth from the most elementary levels. The field has moved on from a prehistoric interest in metals, chert and clay, to become a modern science, utilizing sophisticated techniques to understand the Earth's processes and evolution. By looking deeply into the Earth's constituents, scientists are able to verify theories on its formation and, by corollary, on the formation of other planets in the universe. Because geochemistry involves intensive, detailed examinations of pieces of the planet, the subject touches upon many aspects of other scientific explorations, such as predicting earth tremors and volcanoes, the origin of life, environmental contamination and waste management, and finding mineral and organic ores.
The Encyclopedia of Geochemistry is a complete and authoritative reference text to this evolving field. Over 200 international scientists, each experts in theirspecialties, have written over 340 separate topics on different aspects of geochemistry including organics, trace elements, isotopes, high and low temperature geochemistry and ore deposits, to name just a few. The instruments used to refine geochemical techniques are each described in detail, and the chemical elements have their own separate entries which include common mineralogical, petrological and sedimentological depictions.
Each topic incorporates cross-referencing to related articles, and also has its own reference list to lead the reader to the essential articles within the published literature. The entries are arranged alphabetically, for easy access, and the subject and citation indices are comprehensive and extensive.

Professor Rhodes W. Fairbridge is emeritus Professor of Geology at Columbia University and is now visiting scientist at the Goddard Institute of Space Studies (NASA, NY). He has edited more that two dozen encyclopedias and authored more than three-hundred scientific publications.