The common rock-forming minerals will be studied, with particular emphasis on those minerals that comprise the bulk of the Earth's crust and upper mantle. We will discuss the nature of chemical bonding in minerals, crystals and crystal symmetry,  optical crystallography, and chemical variation by  solid solution will be discussed. Controls on the origin and occurrence of different 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.

Laboratory: Practical work will give students skills in  physical, microscopic and instrumental analytical techniques necessary for the identification and study of natural minerals.

On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Use balanced chemical formulae for minerals containing the commoner chemical elements, relate the common oxidation states and oxygen coordination numbers of those elements, recognise formulae and formula templates of common minerals, describe solid solution in minerals, fit analytical data to a formula template and identify corresponding mineral.
2. Explain that minerals are crystalline materials and that macroscopic symmetry arises from a repeated arrangement of atoms, recognise crystal symmetry elements, classify minerals into the seven crystal systems, identify some crystal forms and Miller indices, explain how crystal symmetry controls directional physical properties including colour and refractive index.
3. Recognise and describe different minerals in the polarised light microscope, and use habit, cleavage, relief, pleochroism,  birefringence to distinguish and identify them.
4. Define what a mineral is, describe their classification into groups by anion, and give examplesof these, describe the distinctive chemical, crystal structural and physical features of the major groups of rock-forming minerals.
5. Describe the physical properties of hand specimens, with clear sketches and at least provisional identification of mineral  species, with explanation of reasoning.
6. give examples of different mineral-forming parageneses and host rocks, and of major minerals characteristic of  some common rock types.

Assessment will be based on:

• Assessed Practical # 1 - exercises involving chemical formulae of minerals, charges on ions, bonding topology and coordination, recalculation of mineral analyses to give structural formulae (6%; LO 1).
• Assessed Practical # 2 - measurement of interfacial angles on crystals, recognition and description of symmetry elements in 2-D and 3-D and on real crystals (6%; LO 2)
• Assessed Practical # 3 - use of crossed polars in microscope to estimate birefringence, thickness, extinction angles (6%; LO 2, 3)
• Assessed Practical # 4 - descriptions and sketches of minerals in hand specimens and thin section (6%; LO 3, 4, 5, 6)
• Assessed Practical # 5 - descriptions and sketches of minerals in hand specimens and thin section (6%; LO 3, 4, 5, 6)
• Closed-book written examination (non-programmable calculators allowed) at end of semester, on whole course content (45%; LO 1-6)
• Open-book written practical examination at end of semester, on whole course content, featuring some combination of calculations, hand specimen description and microscope work (25%; LO 1-6)

A maximum of 65 hours formal contact time, including 39 hours of lectures/tutorials and 26 hours of laboratory classes. Up to 55 hours non-contact time for completion of assessed practical exercises and revision.

Any first year GEOL, ENVS, SRES or CHEM course or with permission from Coordinator.

GEOL2009, GEOL2013 and GEOL2017