The rocks and minerals beneath our feet are often ignored, overlooked or misunderstood. This collection of specially-commissioned photographs aims to open your eyes to their amazing beauty, variety and importance. Starting with the physical composition of the Earth, the book explains how rocks and minerals are classified and how they are formed. Discover how landscapes evolve, how cave systems develop, how the sand and pebbles of the seashore originate, and how and where precious minerals, metals, and gems are mined. Produced in association with the Natural History Museum, London, this guide provides an introduction to the Earth's geology and how we use its natural resources for building, industry, energy, sculpture, coins, and jewellery.