PRINCIPLES OF MINERALOGY

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: ( GEOSCI 100 or ENVIR ST/GEOSCI 106 ) and ( CHEM 103 , 109 , 115 , or concurrent enrollment), graduate/professional standing, or member of Engineering Guest Students Course Designation: Core GenEd - Natural Science & Wellness + Lab Breadth - Physical Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Use a petrographic microscope for mineral identification. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Identify around 40 common minerals (around 30 silicate minerals, and around 10 oxide, carbonate, and sulfide minerals). Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Describe and apply concepts of phase transformations and solid solutions in minerals and factors that control the changes. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Determine the history (formation condition and possible changes / reactions) of a rock based on associated minerals and textures. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Write reports based on thin section observations. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Determine and correlate mineralogical changes with seismic discontinuities in the Earth’s mantle based on crystal chemistry principles. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Explain the basics of nano-phase minerals in earth surface environments and their potential impacts on/in water and air. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 8. Evaluate relevant scientific literature related to mineralogy and crystallography. Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Use a petrographic microscope for mineral identification. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Identify around 40 common minerals (around 30 silicate minerals, and around 10 oxide, carbonate, and sulfide minerals). Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Describe and apply concepts of phase transformations and solid solutions in minerals and factors that control the changes. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Determine the history (formation condition and possible changes / reactions) of a rock based on associated minerals and textures. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Write reports based on thin section observations. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Determine and correlate mineralogical changes with seismic discontinuities in the Earth’s mantle based on crystal chemistry principles. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Explain the basics of nano-phase minerals in earth surface environments and their potential impacts on/in water and air. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 8. Evaluate relevant scientific literature related to mineralogy and crystallography. Audience: Graduate