Mineralogy and Petrology

3 credits · Undergraduate

(3 hrs Lecture | 2 hrs Lab) Students are introduced to the chemical and physical properties of the common minerals and rocks. Emphasis is placed on the origin, composition and classification of the common minerals and rock types. Weekly laboratories provide the student with the skills necessary for routine identification of minerals and rocks in hand samples. Students are also introduced to the fundamentals of optical mineralogy, which include the practice of study and identification of minerals using the polarizing microscope and rock thin sections. An optional field trip highlighting local geological features serves as an introduction to field recognition and classification of minerals and rocks and their associated provenance. Requisite Courses: GEOG 1205(3) or the former GEOG-1202(3) or permission of instructor [prerequisite(s)]; GEOG-2215L (lab) (must be taken concurrently).