Learning objectives
By the end of the course, the student will have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to identify the main families of minerals and to evaluate the importance of these materials in various fields of basic and applied research. The skills the student will begin to develop include the appropriate use of scientific terminology, the ability to synthesize information, and independent judgment
Prerequisites
Classes in Chemistry and Mathematics
Course unit content
The course covers the fundamental principles of Mineralogy, including the chemical and physical characteristics of the main categories of minerals and their geological contexts. It will also give considerable attention to certain minerals of great importance for sustainable development and the circular economy
Full programme
Part 1:
The internal structure of the Earth, its chemical elements, and the most abundant minerals
Definition of a mineral
Ionic radius and coordination polyhedra. The SiO₄⁴⁻ tetrahedron. The arrangement of polyhedra: Pauling's rules. Types of polymorphism and examples in minerals. Isomorphism. Complete and partial solid solutions and phase diagrams.
Chemical and physical properties: how to recognize minerals.
Macroscopic identification (lab)
Part 2:
Basic concepts of crystallography: introduction to the fundamental principles of crystallography, including the various crystal systems and their symmetry characteristics.
Mineralogical crystallography: Two- and three-dimensional lattices. Translational symmetry and crystal systems.
Morphological crystallography. Steno's and Haüy's laws. Parametric faces and Miller indices. Indexing of faces and edges. Elements of morphological symmetry of crystals. The 32 point groups and compatible forms.
Exercises on stereographic projections (lab)
Part 3: Minerals in nature and the environment
Systematic mineralogy: main structural, chemical, and physical characteristics of the examined mineral families. The distribution of minerals in the environment and interaction issues with humans will also be examined.
Silica minerals. Feldspars: chemistry, order-disorder, and transformations. Feldspathoids. Inosilicates: amphiboles and pyroxenes. Phyllosilicates: derivation of structural types; micas and clay minerals. Nesosilicates: olivines and garnets. Notes on epidotes, tourmaline, anhydrous aluminum silicates, zircon. Non-silicates: the CO₃²⁻, SO₄²⁻, PO₄³⁻ groups (carbonates, sulfates, and phosphates): differences from silicates and main minerals. Oxides: cubic and hexagonal close packing. Spinels. Notes on sulfides. Mantle minerals.
Mineral identification (lab)
Part 4:
Techniques for mineral analysis: microscope, SEM-EDS, XRD
Laboratory tests.
Bibliography
lesson notes; ppt slides shown during lectures are available in the elly repository for students.
Refence books
Klein Mineralogia, Zanichelli
Dyar et al Mineralogy and optical mineralogy, Mineralogical society of america
Philippot Earth meterials Cambridge university press
Wenk Mineralogy Cambridge university press
Teaching methods
Lessons and laboratories
Assessment methods and criteria
RITTEN TEST with an optional oral exam to improve the grade.
The test will consist of:
a) practical exercises in crystallography (recognition of symmetry elements, crystal class, faces, and indexing)
b) macroscopic identification of minerals
c) written test with both multiple-choice and open-ended questions covering the entire program.
After agreeing with the instructor, it will also be possible to take only the oral exam, with the same type of content."
Other information
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