Transparent emerald, the green variety of beryl, on calcite matrix

Mineralogy
 89.301

 

Mineralogy Laboratory
 89.303

Niocalite (blue) in sovite (calcite + apatite). Oka carbonatite complex. Crossed-polars. Width = 5.4 mm

Course Home Syllabus Schedule Supplemental Materials Links
 

Schedule

Class Date

 Topic

 Reading

 Assignment 
 9/7  Introduction and crystal chemistry  Chapts. 1, 3, & 4  Table of Ionic Radii, Coordination number calculations
 9/14  Crystal structure and x-ray crystallography  Chapt. 8  Bragg's Law calculations, X-ray crystallography exercise, Forensic exercise
 9/21  Crystallography  Chapt. 2  Symmetry and Miller Indices exercise

 Make your own crystal forms
 9/28  Crystallography  Stereo diagram handout  Draw stereo diagrams for blocks.
 10/5  Crystal growth and Physical properties of minerals  Chapts. 5 & 6  Determination of specific gravity

 Mineral Separation on the basis of magnetic properties

 

 Determine symmetry, Miller Indices, and plot a stereo diagram for an unknown form.
 10/19  Chemical analysis of minerals, strategies for study, and Silicate Minerals I - Framework Silicates  Chapts. 9, 10, 11, & 12  Identification of minerals in hand specimen, Mineral formulas
 10/26  Exam I  Chapts. 1 to 6 and Chapt. 8  
 10/26  Silicate Minerals II - Sheet and Chain Silicates  Chapts. 13 & 14  Identification of minerals in hand specimen.
 11/2  Silicate Minerals III - Disilicates, Ring Silicates, and Orthosilicates  Chapts. 15 & 16  Identification of minerals in hand specimen.
 11/9  Carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, tungstates, molybdates, and borates.

 Optical Mineralogy I

  Chapts. 17 & 7  The petrographic microscope.
 11/16  Oxides, hydroxides, halides and sulfides.

 Optical Mineralogy II

 Chapts. 18 , 19, & 7  Determine the index of refraction of an isometric mineral.
 11/23  Exam II  Chapts. 9 to 19  
 11/30  Optical Mineralogy III  Chapt. 7  Determine the index of refraction of a uniaxial mineral.
 12/7  Identification of minerals in thin section    Identification of minerals in thin section
 12/12  Laboratory Practical Exam