Earth Materials

Catalog description

Earth Materials is the study of the physical and chemical properties of the fundamental building blocks of crystalline rocks. Topics include environments of mineral formation and the pressure, temperature, time and depth conditions where rocks and their component minerals may metamorphose and deform. Course topics include: foundational mineral structure and crystal chemistry, global ore mineral distribution, crystalline rock stability, linking rock and mineral evolution to tectonic processes and the fundamental techniques of rock and mineral identification via qualitative description, geochemical analysis and quantification of crystalline structures. Prerequisites: GL 110 or GL 111 or GL 156. Offered: Spring, odd years.