EARS 51 Mineralogy and Earth Processes
Crystallography, mineral chemistry, and physical properties of the principal rock forming minerals, especially the silicates. In the laboratory, technique of hand identification, the petrographic microscope, and X-ray diffraction are mastered. The course culminates with three case studies that relate mineralogic change to the geologic cycle, such as in regional metamorphism during mountain building; the origin of petroleum; and soil formation.