Mineralogy

Year
1
Academic year
2019-2020
Code
01003707
Subject Area
Geology
Language of Instruction
Portuguese
Mode of Delivery
Face-to-face
Duration
SEMESTRIAL
ECTS Credits
6.0
Type
Compulsory
Level
1st Cycle Studies

Recommended Prerequisites

The required course units are Natural Sciences and Physics and Chemistry in Secondary Education.

The students should have a basic knowledge of concepts and principles of Geology, Chemistry and Physics.

The prerequisites skills include the ability to read and understand Basic English.

Teaching Methods

Theoretical: expository teaching using audiovisual means to make easier to understand the concepts, models and methodologies;

Practical and laboratory: identification tools used for identify minerals in hand specimen; identification methods used for identify minerals under the polarizing microscope; exercises in mineral chemistry; search for books and websites to perform project report.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Know and understand the basic concepts in Mineralogy.

2. Understand and relate the structure, chemical composition and physical properties of minerals and identify them using these parameters.

3. Characterize and identify minerals using suitable methods and techniques.

4. Describe, in written and oral languages, the characteristics of minerals using specific terminology.

5. Understand autonomously examples not taught in formal classes.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Concepts in Mineralogy.

2. Crystallography: unit cell; the 14 Bravais lattices; symmetry operations and elements; the 32 crystal classes and their symmetry; crystallographic systems; Miller indices; zones; crystal forms; twinning.

3. Physical properties of minerals: color, luminescence, electrical properties and magnetic properties.

4. X-Ray crystallography: X-Ray diffraction by crystals, Bragg’s equation and diffraction methods.

5. Optical properties of minerals: isotropic and anisotropic crystals; polarized light; uniaxial and biaxial crystals; interference colors; sign of elongation; extinction angle; interference figure and optic sign.

6. Mineral chemistry: isostructuralism; polymorphism; solid solution; structural formula.

7. Systematic mineralogy.

8. Physical properties and identification methods of minerals hand specimen. Study of minerals under the polarizing microscope.

Head Lecturer(s)

Elsa Maria de Carvalho Gomes

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Project: 20.0%
Exam: 80.0%

Bibliography

BATTEY, M. H. & PRING, A. (1997). Mineralogy for students. Hong Kong, Longman.

GOMES, E. M. C. (2003). Sebenta de Mineralogia. Departamento de Ciências da Terra, Univ. Coimbra.

KLEIN, C. & HURLBUT, C. S. Jr (1999). Manual of Mineralogy. New York, John Wiley & Sons.

NESSE, W. D. (2000). Introduction to Mineralogy. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

VERMA, P. K. (2010). Optical Mineralogy. CRC Press, Tayor & Francis Group, Boca Raton.

WENK, H.-R. & BULAKH, A. (2004). Minerals. Their constitution and origin. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.