This course covers:

• The common rock-forming minerals (silicates, carbonates, oxides, sulfides, hydroxides, and halides) will be studied, with particular emphasis on those minerals that comprise the bulk of the Earth's crust (igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary environments) and upper mantle, and are also the most important constituents of other terrestrial planets and meteorites.
• The nature of chemical bonding, the various crystal systems, symmetry elements, optical crystallography, and complex solid solution substitution mechanisms will be discussed.
• Controls on the origins and occurrences of various classes of minerals will be discussed.
• Other aspects explored will be the characteristics and economic significance of the most important ore and gem minerals, and the properties of minerals that cause health problems.  

Practical work will give students skills in the physical, microscopic annd instrumental analytical techniques necessary for the study of natural  minerals and the methods for laboratory crystallisation of their synthetic analogues.

Note: Graduate students attend joint classes with undergraduates but are assessed separately.

On completion of the course students will achieve:

1. Appreciation of basic principles governing bonding, co-ordination and the orderly arrangement of crystalline materials into seven crystal systems.
2. Understanding of the basis of morphological and optical crystallography, the principles of polarised light microscopy, X-ray diffraction (powder pattern techniques) and microanalytical techniques.
3. Familiarity with the diagnostic properties of the common rock forming minerals, and their occurrence.
4. Understanding of health hazards of specific mineral structures, and appreciation of the economic significance of the most important ore minerals.
5. An introduction to the synthesis of high temperature siliucate and oxide phases and polymorphic reactions.

Assessment will be based on:

• Theory exam (50%; LO 1-4)
• Practicals (30%; LO 1-5)
• Research topic (20%; LO 1-5)

Bachelor degree; with first year Geology or first year Chemistry.

Geology or Chemistry to a first year level.