Mineralogy

Code: GEO13325L

6 ECTS

Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours

Scientific Area: Geology

Teaching languages: Portuguese

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English

Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Presentation

In this training, students have the opportunity to understand concepts of crystallochemistry and crystalline structure of the main groups of minerals in the earth's crust.

Sustainable Development Goals

Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

Learning Goals

In this course the students should to: (1) understand the main concepts of crystal chemistry and crystal structure; (2) recognize the main mineralogical systematic criteria and the major mineral groups - as rock-forming silicate minerals; (3) use the basic optical characteristics of transparent crystals; (4) recognize the main mineralogical transformations; (5) get competences for other courses as Petrology, Geochemistry or Mineral Resources.
Students should develop skills for: (1) identify the main mineral phases in the earth's crust, by observation in hand sample and using the main optical properties; (2) recognize the chemical composition of the main rock-forming minerals; (3) understand Mineralogy as knowledge essential to understand the geological processes and the biosphere-man-geosphere interaction.

1. Introduction: History of Mineralogy.
2. Concept of mineral: Mineral, crystal and solid state matter.
3. Elementary crystallography: Symmetry and translation, Bravais lattices, crystal forms, crystal systems, and Miller indices.
4. Crystal-chemistry: Ionic radius, coordination number and polyhedron coordination.
5. Physical properties of minerals: Color, luster, streak, habit, hardness, cleavage, fracture and magnetism.
6. Crystal-optics: Optical properties of minerals in polarized light. Opaque minerals, isotropic, uniaxial and biaxial anisotropic minerals.
7. Systematic Mineralogy: Introduction to mineral systematic. Notions of class, family, group, specie and mineral series. Oxides, Sulphides and carbonates.
8. Systematic of the silicates: Nesosilicates, sorossilicatos, cyclosilicates, single chain inosilicates, double-chain inosilicates, phyllosilicates and tectossilicatos.
9. Introduction to Mineralogy as (geological) materials sciences.

Teaching Methods

Lectures, using audiovisual materials, allowing extensive and active participation of students. It intends to examine and characterize the structure and chemical composition of mineral phases by the use of conceptual models, case studies and resolution of specific problems and promoting discussion.
Laboratory allowing the macroscopic (hand sample) and microscopic identification of minerals (thin section). Students will have the opportunity to visit laboratories in full scientific activity with high technology equipment for observation and analysis of minerals (SEM, mass spectrometer).
Tutorial monitoring of students through Moodle platform (e-learning).
Evaluation by two frequencies: theoretical (60%) and practical (40%). Alternatively, a theoretical exam (60% of the final grade) and a practical exam (40% of the final grade).