Industrial Mineral and Rocks

Recommended Prerequisites

The required course units are: Mineralogy, Igneous Petrology, Metamorphic Petrology, Sedimentary Petrology, Geodynamics,

The students should have a comprehensive knowledge of the geological processes responsible for the origin of magmatic, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.

The prerequisites skills include the ability to study minerals and rocks on a mesoscopic scale and to read and understand Basic English.

Teaching Methods

The curricular unit will operate in face-to-face with expository presentations using audiovisual means. Orally presentations will be made initially by teacher and subsequent by students with discussion and evaluation, which will stimulate question. Visits and/or conferences, theoretical-practical sessions are envisaged to solve problems. The tutorial guidance aims to assist students in their individual or group work. The focus is on continuous assessment based on student work.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand the use of industrial minerals and rocks

2. Understand the environmental impacts associated to exploitation.

3. Realize the importance of recycling and reuse.

4. Circular Economy relevance.

5. Provide the concepts, methods and techniques to research, analyze, synthesize and summarize scientific information with critical point of view.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Importance of industrial minerals and rocks in the products used in everyday life.

2. Concepts of industrial mineral, industrial rock, dimension stone.

3. Legislation associated with the exploitation of geological resources in Portugal.

4. Industrial minerals and rocks: Characteristics, applications, consumption and geological associations, leading manufacturers, Portuguese and world cases.

5. Some techniques essential for the study of industrial minerals and rocks: X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry.

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Other: 10.0%
Report of a seminar or field trip: 20.0%
Resolution Problems: 30.0%
Synthesis work: 40.0%

Bibliography

Kogel, J.E.; Trivedi, N.C.; Barker, J.M. (2006) Industrial Minerals and Rocks: Commodities, Markets, and Users, 7th edition, SME, Littleton, Colorado USA.

HARBEN, P. W.; BATES, R. L. (1984). Geology of the Nonmetalics. Metal Bulletin Books Ltd. Surrey, England.

VELHO, J.L. (2005). Mineralogia Industrial – Princípios e aplicações. Libel - Edições técnicas, Lisboa.

Segura-Salazar, J.; Tavares, L.M. (2018) Sustainability in the Minerals Industry:Seeking a Consensus on Its Meaning. Sustainability, 10, 1429; doi:10.3390/su10051429

IMA-Europe. (2018) Industrial minerals sector contribution to circular economy. Pp. 1-44.

Legislação atualizada.