Geological Sciences

Role of mineralogy within the Earth Sciences and the geologist profession. Basics on minerals: definition, short- and long-range order. Physical chemical properties. Simmetry from microscopic to macroscopic. Morphologic mineralogy: symmetry elements, translational symmetry, lattices, Miller indices, point and space groups, stereographic projection. Identification of relevant mineral species from hand samples. Identification of relevant mineral species by stereoscopic microscopy. Basic principles of crystal chemistry. Chemical bonding, coordination polyhedra, Pauling’s rules. Solid solutions, polymorphism, P-T diagrams. Each topic will be subject of practice laboratory work. Practice laboratory work: Identification of relevant mineral species from morphology and physical properties; identification of point-group symmetry of crystals and indexing of crystal forms. Basic principles of systematic mineralogy, minerals classification. Igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary, and soil minerals. Extraterrestrial mineralogy. Minerals and health issues. Interaction between radiation and condensed matter: microscopic investigation of crystalline solids; crystallographic and mineralogical optics; X-ray crystallography, theory and practice. Identification of relevant minerals by transmitted-light microscopy and X-ray powder diffractometry. Basics of mineralogical analysis: electron microprobe and SEM. Each topic will be subject of practice laboratory work. Practice laboratory work: Five sessions on X-ray powder method as a determinative tool: 1. identification of mineral species from X-ray powder diffraction patterns. 2. Example of calculation of cell parameters (for cubic minerals only). Calculation of crystal chemical formulae and mineral classification through the use of phase diagrams. Systematic mineralogy at the Museum of Mineralogy. Optics Workshop: 1. The polarizing microscope. Plane-polarized light observations: measuring angles, cleavage and fracture, relief. 2. Plane-polarized light observations: determination of refractive indices by the Becke line method, color and pleochroism. 3. Cross-polarized light observations: interference colors, birefringence. Parallel and inclined extinction, the maximum extinction angle, elongation sign. 4. Cross-polarized convergent light observations: uniaxial interference figures and determination of optical sign. 5. Cross-polarized convergent light observations: biaxial interference figures and determination of optical sign, estimation of 2V.

From educational career: basic skills in mathematics; use of scientific calculator. From the “General Inorganic Chemistry with Elements of Organic Chemistry” course: periodic table of elements, periodic properties of chemical elements, oxidation state, electronegativity, atomic/ionic radii with particular reference to the most abundant elements in the earth's crust. Concept of chemical bond, covalent, ionic, metallic and hydrogen bonds, Van der Waals forces, hybridization. Solutions. H2O and S phase diagrams. Dal corso di Fisica: onde e loro interferenza. Rifrazione, riflessione totale. Principali lenti e costruzione delle immagini relative. Introduzione ai raggi X. Generazione dei raggi X. Rivelazione dei raggi X

Teaching and didactic material available at https://elearning.uniroma1.it/course/view.php?id=2094 Only enrolled students can access course materials stored there. More info about optical microscopy can be found at: https://homepage.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/olaf.medenbach/eng.html DEER W.A., HOWIE R.A., ZUSSMAN J. (1994) - Introduzione ai minerali che costituiscono le rocce. Ed. Zanichelli, Bologna (for olivines, pyroxenes, amphiboles, micas, feldspars, silica minerals and carbonates). KLEIN C. (2004) - Mineralogia. Ed. Zanichelli, Bologna. KLEIN C., PHILPOTTS A. (2012) Earth Materials - Introduction to mineralogy and petrology. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK.

The course consists of lectures and practice.

Optional, but the attendance of the Lab of Optical Mineralogy will be monitored

Mid-term assessment: interpretation of a diffraction pattern (usually, in the month of December; time limit: ca. 45 minutes). This is a non-mandatory exemption test. After successful completion of this test, the student is exempted from the test in the final examination; the mark obtained concurs equally in the final examination grading. Unsuccessful completion of this test or failure to attend does not affect the final oral examination grading, but in this case the test will be repeated before the final assessment. Final examination: at the end of the course, interpretation of a diffraction pattern, identification of two hand specimens of minerals, identification of the symmetry of an idealized model of a crystal, oral assessment on the topics discussed in the course. Failure to pass the interpretation of the diffraction pattern prevents the continuation of the exam. The final score reflects the specific knowledge of the topics treated in the course, and the analytical, verbal, and interpretative skills of the candidate in crystal chemistry and general, systematic and optical mineralogy.

The course consists of lectures and practice.