Reviews Fifty Minerals That Changed the Course of History by Eric Chaline Share this:EmailFacebookTwitterPinterestPocketRedditPrint By Science News October 19, 2012 at 11:08 am From alabaster to zinc, this book highlights the scientific, cultural and commercial significance of a bevy of alloys, metals, rocks and gemstones. Firefly, 2012, 224 p., $29.95