Geology 249, Mineralogy & Optical Mineralogy

Spring 1996

Professor: Mickey E. Gunter

Office: Rm. 309, McClure Hall

Phone: 885-6015 (office), 885-6192 (Geology Department)

Internet: gunter@uidaho.edu, http://www.uidaho.edu/~mgunter

Office Hours: 10:30-11:30 M,T,W,F; 8-9 & 3-5 Tuesday or whenever else

Required Texts: Manual of Mineralogy, 21st edition, C. Klein & C.S. Hurlbut

Introduction to Optical Mineralogy, 2nd edition, W.D. Nesse

Additional reading will be placed on reserve in the library.

TA: Ryean-Marie Woods

Course Objectives

1. introduce crystallography, crystal chemistry, and systematic mineralogy

2. relate the physical properties of minerals to their crystal structures

3. introduce analytical methods used in modern mineralogy, especially the polarizing light microscope

4. learn how minerals are classified

5. identify minerals in hand specimen and thin section and with the aid of various analytical techniques

Projects

There will be a project in both the lecture and laboratory portions of this course. For the lecture project, you will write a three-page review of a mineralogy research paper or a non-silicate mineral group and give a 10- to 15-minute presentation on your paper.

For the laboratory project, you will collect minerals found in Latah County. Your grade will be based on the number of correctly identified minerals you assemble. Each correctly identified mineral will be worth 2 points, for a maximum of 50. You are encouraged to collect minerals with your fellow students and seek my assistance with identification.

Grading

Your final grade will be based upon:

11 lecture quizzes 220

13 lecture problem sets 130

2 lecture tests (each worth 100) 200

Paper and presentation 50

Laboratory 300

Latah County mineral collection 50

Class and laboratory participation 50

Total 1000

The final grades will be determined at the semester's end. If everyone understands all the material, you all get A's -- the other extreme is also possible. You will be informed of your class standing and your current grade throughout the semester. Late assignments will not be accepted, and no make-up quizzes or tests will be given unless there is a justifiable excuse (e.g., death in family, serious illness).

Comments and Helpful (?) Hints

The material presented in this class is difficult to learn and will require a lot of memorization and extra study time. It is important that you learn this material well, because it lays the groundwork for much of the geosciences you will learn in later courses. If you have problems, see Ryean-Marie or me for help.

I suggest you do the following, not only for this class but for others, as well:

1. Read the assignment before coming to class.

2. Take good notes and ask questions in class.

3. Recopy your notes after class.

4. Reread the assignment after class.

5. Outline your notes and the book (indexing is not a bad idea) and review the previous

week's material over the weekend.

Last-minute "cramming" will not be effective in this class!

Course Outline

Part 1: Crystallography

16-Jan (Lab): Course introduction and equipment tour - KH Ch. #1 & MEG handout

17-Jan (Lec): External symmetry - KH 17-37

18-Jan (Lab): External symmetry - KH 17-37 (lecture cont.)

19-Jan(Lec): Crystal symmetry - KH 37-53

22-Jan (Lec): Point groups - KH 63-100

23-Jan (Lab): Crystal projections - KH 53-63

24-Jan (Lec): Point groups - KH 63-100 (cont.)(gone

25-Jan (Lab): Crystal forms - KH 43-52

26-Jan (Lec): Optical symmetry - MEG Sec. IV (A-D) & KH Ch. #8 (gone

29-Jan (Lec): Optical symmetry - NE Ch. #4, NE 55-57 & 77-82

30-Jan (Lab): Polarized light - NE Ch. #1

31-Jan (Lec): Lattices - KH 108-128

1-Feb (Lab): Polarized light microscope - NE Ch. #2

2-Feb (Lec): Space groups - KH 128-146

5-Feb (Lec): Space groups - KH 128-146

6-Feb (Lab): Isotropic vs. anisotropic optics

7-Feb (Lec): Crystal structures - KH 146-153

8-Feb (Lab): Crystal structures

9-Feb (Lec): X-ray crystallography - KH Ch. #6

12-Feb (Lec): Refractive index - NE Ch. #3

13-Feb (Lab): Refractive index measurement - NE Ch. #3

14-Feb (Lec): Uniaxial optics - NE Ch. #5

15-Feb (Lab): Uniaxial optics

16-Feb (Lec): Biaxial optics - NE Ch. #6

19-Feb: Holiday

20-Feb (Lab): Biaxial optics - NE Ch. #6

21-Feb (Lec): Biaxial optics - NE Ch. #6

22-Feb (Lab): Absorption, pleochroism, extinction

23-Feb (Lec): Optical orientation

26-Feb (Lec): Spindle stage - MEG Sec. VI. A, NE 20,75, 108, 304

27-Feb (Lab): Spindle stage - MEG Sec. VI. A, NE 20,75, 108, 304

28-Feb (Lec): Electron microscope - KH 8-10

29-Feb (Lab): Mineral identification with analytical methods & review for test #1

1-Mar (Lec): Lecture test #1

Part 2: Crystal Chemistry

4-Mar (Lec): Introduction to crystal chemistry - KH 170-200

5-Mar (Lab): Mineral identification

6-Mar (Lec): Crystal chemistry - KH 170-200

7-Mar (Lab): Elements, sulfides, sulfosalts - Ch. #10 KH

8-Mar (Lec): Bonding - KH 201-210

11-Mar (Lec): Chemical composition - KH 221-249

12-Mar (Lab): Oxides, hydroxides, halides - KH Ch. #11

13-Mar (Lec): Chemical composition - KH 221-249

14-Mar (Lab): Carbonates, nitrates, etc. - Ch. #12 KH

15-Mar (Lec): Chemical composition - KH 221-249

18 to 22 Mar = Spring break (from Mineralogy & Mickey!)

25-Mar (Lec): Physical properties - KH Ch. #6

26-Mar (Lab): Carbonates, nitrates, etc. - Ch. #12 KH

27-Mar (Lec): Physical properties - KH Ch. #5

28-Mar (Lab): Review of non-silicates

29-Mar (Lec): Mineral classification - NE Ch. #8 & KH Appendix #1

1-Apr (Lec): Silica polymorphs - sections in both KH & NE

2-Apr (Lab): Silica polymorphs

3-Apr (Lec): Feldspars - sections in both KH & NE

4-Apr (Lab): Feldspars

5-Apr (Lec): Micas - sections in both KH & NE

8-Apr (Lec): Clay minerals - sections in both KH & NE

9-Apr (Lab): Micas & clay minerals

10-Apr (Lec): Amphiboles - sections in both KH & NE

11-Apr (Lab): Amphibole

12-Apr (Lec): Pyroxenes - sections in both KH & NE

13 or 14-Apr: Field trip

15-Apr (Lec): Biopyroboles - KH 491-492, KH Fig. 13.93 (509)

16-Apr (Lab): Pyroxenes

17-Apr (Lec): Ring & disilicates - sections in both KH & NE

18-Apr (Lab): Ring & disilicates

19-Apr (Lec): Orthosilicates - sections in both KH & NE

22-Apr (Lec): Orthosilicates - sections in both KH & NE

23-Apr (Lab): Orthosilicates

24-Apr (Lec): Assorted silicates - sections in both KH & NE

25-Apr (Lab): Assorted silicates

26-Apr (Lec): Assorted silicates - sections in both KH & NE

27 or 28-Apr: Field trip

29-Apr (Lec): Analytical methods in modern mineralogy

30-Apr (Lab): Talks & work on mineral collection

1-May (Lec): Analytical methods in modern mineralogy

2-May (Lab): Talks & work on mineral collection

3-May (Lec): Analytical methods in modern mineralogy

4 & 5-May: Weekend help with minerals

6-May (Lec): Relationships of crystal chemistry & crystal structures

7-May (Lab): Review for final mineral quiz & work on mineral collection

8-May (Lec): Relationships of crystal chemistry & crystal structures

9-May (Lab): Final mineral identification quiz & mineral collection due

10-May (Lec): Conclusions and review for final

Final (Lecture test #2) Thursday (16-May) 10 to noon

Mickey Gunter, Spring 1996

McClure 309, 885-6015, gunter@uidaho.edu

               Monday     Tuesday       Wednesday     Thursday      Friday        
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      9:30    Geol 249    Chem 565      Geol 249      Chem 565      Geol 249      
     10:30  Office hours  Office hours  Office hours                Office hours  
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     12:30                Geol 249                    Geol 249                    
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      3:30   Inter 103    3-4 Office    Inter 103     4-5 Seminar                 
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      4:30   Inter 103    4-5 Office     Inter 103                                
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