Subject Group of Sustainable Resources Engineering
3501
Environmental Geology II
Summer
Description and rationale: This course covers basis for geology and mineralogy of earth resources and the
environment. Earth system and geological process are outlined first, and then the property of geological
materials and the water-rock interaction on the earth surface are studied. After that mineral resources and the
environment are studied. In addition geological hazard relating to rock weathering, and environmental
contamination and waste disposal are shown at the end.
Keywords: geological process, water-rock interaction, mineral resources, geological hazard
Pre-requisite: none
Expected students: master and doctoral
Instructor: Prof. Tetsuro YONEDA (yonet@eng.hokudai.ac.jp)
Course outline:
(1) Earth systems and geological process (3 weeks)
Resources and environmental problems relating to the sustainable development of human-being are viewed,
and, the earth system and geological process performed on surface of the earth are studied.
(2) Property of geological materials and water-rock interaction (4 weeks)
In order to understand feature of geological materials and its change under various environments, structural
feature of minerals, mineral stability, and physics and chemistry of rock are studied.
(3) Mineral resources and environment (4 weeks)
Geology of mineral resources and the environmental impact of mineral development are studied based on some
examples.
(4) Geological hazard and environmental contamination (4 weeks)
Geological hazard due to rock weathering and mass movement, environmental contamination relating to
geological process, and geological waste disposal are viewed.
Grading: class participation (30%), assignments (30%), final exam (40%)
Textbooks and references:
1) Handout made by the course instructor will be delivered.
2) References are shown below.
Environmental Geology : Edward A. Keller, Prentice Hall
Environmental Interactions of Clays : A. Parker and J.E.Rae, Springer
Engineering Geology : Perry H. Rahn, Prentice Hall PTR
Minerals : Hans-Rudolf Wenk and Andrei Bulakh, Cambridge Univ. Press
1/2010