LAUNAY, Louis de.
(1860 – 1938)
Launay was a professor of mine engineering at the School of Mines in Paris.
Biographical references: ABF: I 610, 211-212; II 392, 452-455. • Curinier, Dictionnaire des Contemporains, 1889-1906. • Lorenz, Catalogue Général, 1869-1945. • WBI.
1. French, 1897.
Les | Diamants Du Cap | [rule] | Historique.-Organisation Financière Er Commerciale | Géologie.-Mode D'Exploitation Et De Traitement | Comparaison Avec Les Gisements Du Brésil, De L'Inde, De Bornéo | Et D'Australie | Par | L. De Launay | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | [rule] | Paris | Librairie Polytechnique, Baudry Et C. Éditeurs | 15, Rue Des Saints-Pères, 15 | Maison A Liège, 21, Rue De La Régence | [rule] | 1897 | Tous droits réservés.
8°: vii, [1], 239, [1] p., illus. Page size: 215 x 150 mm.
Contents: [i-ii], Half title page, verso advertisements.; [iii-iv], Title page, verso blank.; [v]-vii, "Préface."; [1]-224, Text.; [225]-226, Table of contents.; [227]-239, Publisher's list.; [1 pg], Blank.
Very scarce. Treatise describing the history and commercial operations of the South African diamond mines including their geology, speculation on kimberlite pipe formation, methods of recovering the diamonds, security, and general observations about diamond desposits around the world. The author was a mining engineer who worked in the mines and he treats his material in a technical way that he supports with maps, diagrams, tables, and charts.
Bibliographical references: NUC. • Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 3806. • USGS Library Catalog.
2. French, 1903.
Les | Richesses Minérales | De | L'Afrique | L'Or, Les Métaux, Le Diamant, | Les Phosphates, Le Sel, | Les Comustibles, Les Sources Thermales, Etc. | [rule] | Algérie Et Tunisie - Égypte - Abyssinie | Soudan - Côte D'Or | Transvaal - Rhodèsia - Afrique Centrale | Madagascar, Etc. | Par | L. De Launay | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | [ornate rule] | Paris | Librairie Polytechnique Ch. Béranger, Éditeur | Successeur De Baudry Et Cie | 15, Rue Des Saints-Pères, 15 | Maison A Liège, 21, Rue De La Régence | [short rule] | 1903 | Tous dreits réservés.
8°: [4], [1]-416 p., illus.
Contents: [2 pgs], Half title page, "Les | Richesses Minérales | De | L'Afrique," verso blank.; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1]-375, Text.; [376], Blank.; [377]-392, "Index Géographique."; [393]-395, "Table Des Matières."; [396], Blank.; [397]-416, Publisher's list.
Rare. A comprehensive economic mineralogy that treats the whole of the African continent. It gives a general description of the mining regions, and resources for copper, diamonds, phosphates, salts, sulphates, nitrates, borates, petroleum, mineral springs, mercury, antimony, bismuth, etc. One section covers the minerals of Africa, broken down by country. A continuation was published as La Geologie et les Richesses Minerales de l'Asie (1911).
Bibliographical references: NUC. • Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 3807.
3. French, 1911.
La Geologie et les Richesses Minerales de l'Asie. Historique - Industrie - Production - Avenir - Metal Logenie. Siberie - Oural - Caucase - Turkestan - Mer Egee - Asie Mineure - Perse - Inde - Insulinde-Indo-Chine - Chine - Japon, ..., par L. de Launay. Paris, C. Beranger, 1911.
8°: 816 p., maps (part folding, part colored), tables.
Rare. A companion work to the author's Les Richesses Minérales de L'Afrique (1903), this work describes the geology and economic minerals of Asia, including information on the mineral discoveries, industries, and production. The lands treated are Siberia, Caucases, Turkestan, Turkey, Persia, India, Indo-China, China, and Japan.
Bibliographical references: NUC. • USGS Library Catalog.
4. French, 1913.
Traité De Métallogenie | [rule] | Gîtes Minéraux | Et | Métallifères | Gisements, Recherche, | Production Et Commerce Des Minéraux Utiles | Et Minerais, | Description Des Principales Mines | Par | L. De Launay | [...3 lines of titles and memberships...] | [rule] | Tome Premiere [-Troisieme] | [rule] | Paris Et Liège | Librairie Polytechnique Ch.Béranger, Éditeur | Paris, 15, Rue Des Saints-Pères, 15 | Liège, 21, Rue De La Régence, 21 | [rule] | 1913 | Tous droits réservés.
3 vols. [Vol 1] 8°: [2], viii, 858, [2] p., illus 1-129. [Vol 2] 8°: [4], 801, [3] p., illus 130-333. [Vol 3] 8°: [4], 934, [2] p., illus 334-557. Page size: 240 x 160 mm.
Rare. An extensive and authoritative work on ore deposits and econmic mineralogy. All aspects of the subjects are treated including the principles, theories of formation, deposit types, etc. All minerals of any economic value are described together with information on where and how they are recovered. Oddly, although a very competent work, it never received the credit it should have and was largely ignored in its time and afterward.
Bibliographical references: NUC. • Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 3808. • USGS Library Catalog.
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