Advanced Geochemistry

3 credits · Graduate

A basic understanding of Geochemistry is essential to a professional geoscientist who must deal with earth materials, igneous, metamorphic, and hydrothermal processes that take place under the surface of the earth and other planetary bodies, and on the minerals, rocks, fluids, and mineral deposits resulting from these processes. Equally important is a familiarity with the geochemistry of weathering, acid rock drainage (ARD) and the cycles of environmentally significant elements in ground and surface waters. This course begins with an overview of atoms, ions, and isotopes, and the principles that govern their distribution on the Earth and other planets. This will be followed by a discussion of high- and low-temperature aqueous geochemistry, and the applications of chemistry to igneous and metamorphic systems. A section on mineral deposits will examine the formation of hydrothermal ore deposits, and geochemical exploration methods. The latter half of the term will concentrate on low-temperature geochemistry, with an emphasis on processes that control the release, mobility, and fate of contaminants in the environment. Computer models and case studies will be used to illustrate the importance of geochemical data for solving real-world environmental problems. Students will also be introduced to a number of closely-related disciplines including surface science, geomicrobiology, and medical geology. CROSSLISTED: ERTH 4380.03 FORMATS: Lecture | Seminar