The Minerals of Switzerland is a regional description that was first published at the suggestion of John Wiley & Sons Ltd. in London. The title "A Guide to the Minerals of Switzerland" was released in English in 1966. In the same year, Birkhäuser Verlag in Basel published the German version of this mineralogical guide, which appeared in four slightly expanded editions until 1972. Some minerals are missing that are only relevant to rock or ore microscopists. The current edition has been completely rewritten and updated. To keep it within the scope of a paperback, the needs of collectors have been taken into account.