Robert A. Ixer obtained his BSc and PhD degrees at the Victoria University of Manchester and has taught economic mineralogy, primarily at the Universities of Aston and Birmingham. His research interests include the mineralogy and paragenesis of base and precious metal assemblages, the provenancing of lithics and ancient metals and sedimentary-hosted mineral deposits. He is author/joint author of over seventy books, papers and articles. He dislikes iron, aluminium and manganese minerals and this is his first experience of virtual publishing.
