GEOL 360 - Mineralogy and Optical Crystallography

Units: 4
Hand sample and optical mineralogy. Lecture covers crystallography, crystal chemistry, crystal structure, crystal growth, and optical properties. Laboratory emphasizes physical properties and identification of minerals in hand sample and thin section. Lecture Units: 3; Lab Units: 1.

Prerequisites: CHEM 112 and GEOL 210.
Possible Instructional Methods: On-ground.
Grading: A-F grading only.
Course Typically Offered: Fall ONLY

Student Learning Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Understand the fundamental importance of minerals to nearly all aspects of Geology.
Determine a mineral’s crystal system using symmetry observations.
Identify key minerals in hand sample using macroscopic properties.
Identify key minerals in thin section using a petrographic microscope.
Write a topical paper in scientific, discipline-specific writing style.