JOURNAL 



OF THE 



WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



Vol. II, JANUARY 19, 1912. No. 2. 



GEOLOGY. — Applied geology. 1 Alfred H. Brooks. 



The science of geology, generally regarded as having originated 

 in the vague speculations of the cosmogonists hardly two centuries 

 ago, has today become of great practical utility. During the 

 past decade all geologic investigations have shown a marked 

 tendency toward material problems, which is in contrast with the 

 previous decade, when the interests of pure science were much 

 more strongly emphasized. No one will deny that economic, or 

 as I prefer to call it, applied geology is attracting more and more 

 attention from professional geologists. It is appropriate that the 

 members of this Society should take cognizance of this trend in 

 geologic thought, analyze the conditions which have brought it 

 about, and decide, it may be, whether it makes for the good or the 

 evil of the science. 



Before discussing this subject it will be well to attempt a defini- 

 tion of the term " applied geology." Some appear to believe that 

 when the geologist emerges from the tunnel's mouth he is at once 

 transplanted into the realm of pure science, and that the miner's 

 candle illuminates only the so-called practical or even commercial 

 problems. I submit that such opinions are not justified. The 

 surveys made as a basis for geologic maps and structure sections, 

 usually classed as belonging to the realm of pure seicnce, often 

 yield results which are the most concrete examples of applied 

 geology. On the other hand, the exhaustive study of mineral 

 deposits is essential to the solution of many fundamental geologic 



1 Published by permission of the Director of the United States Geological 

 Survey. 



Presidential address delivered before the Geological Society of Washington, 

 December 13, 1911. 



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