Catalogo dei Corsi di studio

Module of MINERALOGY
A - Knowledge and understanding
OF 1) Knowing the main rocking-forming minerals
OF 2) Knowing the nature of crystal structure of minerals
OF 3) Understanding the relation between structure and chemistry of minerals
OF 4) Knowing the nature of mineral crystallization phenomena
OF 5) Knowing the nature and chemical-physical properties of minerals
OF 6) Knowing the main strategy for mineral investigation

B - Application skills
OF 7) Being able to identify minerals
OF 8) Being able to deduce from the chemical-physical properties of minerals their use in cultural heritage
OF 9) Being able to deduce the crystal-chemical nature of rock-forming minerals

C - Autonomy of judgment
OF 10) Being able to evaluate the mineralogical features of the main rock-forming minerals
OF 11) Being able to suggest the most suitable mineralogical investigation techniques according to the type of geomaterials
OF 12) Being able to evaluate the nature of the mineral species

D - Communication skills
OF 13) Knowing how to communicate to the nature and the mineral effects on the geomaterials costitutive the artwork
OF 14) Knowing how to communicate the mineral properties for the restoration and the characteristics of the applied methodologies

E - Ability to learn
OF 15) Having the ability to consult the literature on minerals and their investigation methods
OF 16) Having the ability to continue the study in the course of life thanks to the tools provided in the course, in particular the use of tables and reference texts for the identification of minerals and the use of scientific investigations at equipped laboratories

Programme

Mineral definition. Amorphous and crystalline state.
Crystallography. Translational symmetry. Space lattices. Unit cell. Bravais types. Point symmetry: axes, plane and center. Point groups. The 32 point groups. The 7 crystalline systems. Law of the dihedron angle constancy. Space groups. Combination of translation with rotation, reflection and inversion. Faces and crystallographic planes. Law of Haȕy. Miller indices. Assigning Miller indices by inspection. Crystal forms. Crystal habit. Twins. Practical sessions of morphological crystallography.
Crystal Chemistry. Chemical bonding. Size of atoms and ions. Compact structures. Pauling’s rules. Coordination polyhedra. Silicates structures and other structure types: diamond, graphite, ZnS, NaCl, CaF2, FeS2, Mg(OH)2, Al(OH)3, CaCO3. Polymorphism and isomorphism. Electron microprobe. Mineral formula calculation. Graphic representations of mineral compositions.
Mineral Classification. Structures of the most common minerals belonging to: native elements, sulfites, halides, oxides and hydroxides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, silicates (orthosilicates, disilicates, ring silicates, chain silicates, sheet silicates).
Physical Properties of Minerals. Density. Properties related to the mechanical cohesion: hardness, cleavage, fracture. Color and luster. Magnetism. Electrical properties. Practical sessions of hand sample identification.
Optical Mineralogy. Interaction of light in optical isotropic and anisotropic materials. Reflection, refraction and double refraction. Refraction indices. Optical indicatrix. Polarization microscope. Isotropic materials. Anisotropic minerals. Interference phenomena. Color chart. Pleochroism. Extinction. Interference figures. Optic sign. Practical sessions of optical mineralogy

Adopted texts

TESTI DI RIFERIMENTO
W.D. Nesse. Introduction to mineralogy, Oxford University Press.
C. Klein. Mineralogia. Zanichelli.
A. Mottana. Fondamenti di Mineralogia. Zanichelli.

Bibliography

TESTO DI SUPPORTO C. Klein & A.R. Philpotts. Mineralogia e petrografia. Zanichelli.

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry

Frequency modes

Class attending is not mandatory, but strongly recommended

Exam modes

To pass the exam the student must obtain a grade of not less than 18/30. The student must demonstrate that he/she has acquired a sufficient knowledge of the crystal-chemical properties of rock-forming minerals, their formation and investigation strategies.
To achieve a score of 30/30 cum laude, the student must instead demonstrate that he/she has acquired excellent knowledge of all the topics covered during the course, being able to link them in a logical and coherent way.

Exam reservation date start	Exam reservation date end	Exam date
29/01/2021	09/02/2021	17/02/2021
25/03/2021	01/04/2021	08/04/2021
30/05/2021	04/06/2021	08/06/2021
13/06/2021	25/06/2021	07/07/2021
14/08/2021	20/08/2021	01/09/2021
05/09/2021	13/09/2021	21/09/2021
25/10/2021	02/11/2021	11/11/2021