Considerable progress has been made in our understanding of the
physicochemical evolution of natural rocks through systematic analysis
of the compositional properties and phase relations of their mineral
assemblages. This book brings together concepts of classical
thermodynamics, solution models, and atomic ordering and interactions
that constitute a major basis of such analysis, with appropiate examples
of application to subsolidus petrological problems. This book is written
for an audience with a senior undergraduate level background in
chemistry. Derivations of fundamental thermodynamic relations which are
in need of reemphasis and clarification are presented.