MINERALOGY GO-221
Syllabus for Lecture and Labs


Lecture and Lab Topic                                                                                                              Reading in Text

PART 1: THE STRUCTURES AND COMPOSITIONS OF MINERALS

8/28    Introduction to the course and the department                                                                 Chap. 1

8/30    Chemistry basics and the composition of the Earth                                                           Chap. 3, p. 38-56
            Lab: set up departmental computer accounts

9/04    Bonding in crystal structures                                                                                            Chap. 3, p. 56-69

9/06    Coordination of ions in crystals and Pauling's rules                                                           Chap. 3, p. 69-80
           Lab: crystal structures

9/11    Crystal structures and mineral formulas                                                                             Chap. 3, p. 80-98

9/13    Ionic substitution and graphical representations                                                                 Chap. 3, p. 98-103
            Lab: native elements, sulfides, oxides

9/18    Review and discussion of part 1                                                         
           Lab: using a sterionet

9/20    LECTURE EXAM 1
           Lab: hydroxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, etc.

PART 2: MINERAL REACTIONS AND THE MAIN GROUPS OF ROCK FORMING MINERALS

9/25    Introduction to mineral stability diagrams                                                                           Chap. 4, p. 104-122 

9/27    Polymorphs and one component phase diagrams                                                               Chap. 4, p. 134-143
           Lab: LAB EXAM 1

10/02   Two component phase diagrams: olivine and plagioclase                                                  Chap. 4, p. 122-126

10/04   The alkali feldspars and exsolution                                                                                   Chap. 4, p. 143-148
            Lab: silicates I

10/09   The pyroxenes and the amphiboles                                                                                   Chap. 11, p. 452-462

10/11    The phyllosilicates                                                                                                           Chap. 11, p. 463-475
             Lab: silicates II

10/16    The zeolites and the feldspathoids                                                                                    Chap. 11, p. 484-489

10/18    Review and discussion of part II
             Lab: LAB EXAM 2

10/23    LECTURE EXAM 2

PART 3: CRYSTALLOGRAPHY

10/25   Classification of crystals based on symmetry                                                                     Chap. 5, p. 170-189
             Lab: crystal symmetry

10/30    Crystallographic axes and the six crystal systems                                                             Chap. 5, p. 189-197

11/01    Naming crystal faces: Miller indicies                                                                                 Chap. 5, p. 197-201
             Lab: crystal axes and crystal systems

11/06    Crystal forms and twinned crystals                                                                                   Chap. 5, p. 201-213

11/08    Internal order in crystals: two dimensional symmetry                                                         Chap. 5, 213-224 
             Lab: crystal forms

11/13    Two dimensional plane groups                                                                                         Chap. 5, p. 224-228

11/15    Three dimensional order and space groups                                                                       Chap.5, p. 229-239
             Lab: plane groups and unit cells

11/20    Review and discussion of part III

11/22    THANKSGIVING

11/27    LECTURE EXAM 3                

11/29    NO LECTURE: REVIEW SESSION FOR LAB EXAM
             Lab: LAB EXAM 3

PART 4: INTRODUCTION TO PETROGRAPHY

12/04    Introduction to optical mineralogy                                                                                  Chap. 7, p. 292-298

12/06    The optical properties of minerals                                                                                   Chap. 7, p. 298-308
             Lab: using the petrographic microscope

12/11    NO LECTURE

12/13    NO LECTURE
             Lab: identification of minerals in thin sections

12/20    8:00 AM - 10:00 AM MINERALOGY FINAL EXAM

Your instructor for this course is: Dr. Craig White, Office MG-219A, Tele. 426-3633, e-mail: cwhite@boisestate.edu  My office hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays after lecture (10:40 - 11:30) and by appointment. An easy way to ask a question or set up an appointment is to send me a message by e-mail.

Your lab instructor is Mr. Geoff Cook, Office MG-123 (next door to the mineralogy lab). His e-mail address is: gcook@trex.idbsu.edu

The textbook is: Mineral Science, 22 edition (2002) by Cornelis Klein

Grades for this class will be calculated as follows:
Three lecture exams = 15% each (45% of grade)
Comprehensive final exam = 15%
Lecture homework assignments = 10%
Three lab exams = 10% each (= 30% of grade)

Course Goals: (1) To understand and apply the methods used to described and classify crystals. (2) To learn the basic principles that control the internal atomic structures and chemical compositions of minerals. (3) To learn the ways in which the mineral assemblages in rocks and ore deposits are controlled by the geological environment. (4) To be able to identify approximately 80 economically important or common rock-forming minerals. (5) To gain an introductory understanding of the methods used in optical mineralogy.