The history of applied spatial modelling has been a chequered one. If we ignore the elements of simple numerical reporting in the early commercial geographies of the nineteenth century, then we can probably trace the origins of applied quantitative spatial analysis to the fields of transportation modelling, especially at the University of Pennsylvania, in the early 1960s (Herbert and Stevens, 1960; Harris, 1962). Mathematical geography became prevalent in planning circles both in the USA and in Europe from this time onwards. The early 1960s also witnessed the emergence of statistical geography: the search for patterns or similarities in spatial data sets and the testing for significance, with the aim of providing universal spatial theories and laws (or at least theories that worked well in the real world). Although this was often very empirical in nature, it seldom extended beyond the academic geography community. There are excellent summaries in Haggett (1965) and Haggett et al. (1977).

Hydrogeology is now considered to be a core course in the curriculum of undergraduate geology programs as well as many fields of engineering. There is ongoing demand for persons with training in hydrogeology by consulting organizations, state and federal regulatory agencies, and industrial firms. Most of the employment in hydrogeology is in the environmental area. This is a book that will help prepare students for either a career in hydrogeology or in other areas of environmental science and engineering where a strong background in hydrogeology is needed.
Applied Hydrogeology is intended as a textbook for an introductory course in hydrogeology taught either at the advanced undergraduate level, or as a dual-level undergraduate/ graduate course. It is also useful in helping individuals who are preparing to take state examinations for professional registration as a hydrologist or hydrogeologist. It can be found as a reference book in the personal library of many working professionals. <...>

An evolution in applied mineralogy related to processing began in the mid 1960's, and significantly modified the scope of the field. Many new instruments were developed and enabled applied mineralogists to accurately determine a wider array of mineral characteristics than was previously possible. The results had a major impact on processing, and many operations now use applied mineralogy as a standard tool. The expanded scope of applied mineralogy made one realize that a dedicated mineralogist is essential at most large mining operations; a person who performs applied mineralogy as an adjunct to other duties can no longer develop the breadth of knowledge and experience that is required to recognize and determine mineral properties that affect different processes. It is also recognized that, to be able to assess what to look for, the applied mineralogist should be a member of a team performing investigations. <...>

Mining geology is a specialised area of applied geological sciences that historically evolved as a support for operating mines and for evaluating mining projects. The main objective of mining geology is to provide detailed geological information, and undertake technical and economic studies to evaluate a mining project. When mining commences, mine geologists provide geological support to the operation, ensuring cost effective extraction of the valuable minerals and their accurate separation from the waste rocks. In addition to detailed understanding of the geology of the mining project area, they also provide accurate estimation of the spatial distribution of the economically valuable minerals and quantitative estimation of the geological characteristics that control mining and processing methods and operational costs.<...>