Amherst College
Department of Geology
GEOLOGY 30: MINERALOGY
SYLLABUS
Professor: John T. (Jack) Cheney
Office
302 ESNH
Texts:
Class:
Lab:
- FALL 2008 E-Mail: jtcheney@amherst.edu
Phone: 542-2311
Mineralogy and Optical Mineralogy by M.D. Dyar, M. E. Gunter & D.Tasa
M-W-F 9:00-10:50aM and Tuesday. 1-1:50pm
Room 303 ESNH
Tuesday, 2:00 -4:00pm+
Room 303 ESNH
Course Objectives:
This course is designed as an introduction to the study of crystals, minerals, and minerals in bunches
(rocks). The specific goals of the course involve familiarizing you with BOTH the common rock
forming minerals and the principles of optical mineralogy. You will learn how to readily identify these
minerals both optically and in hand sample, and we will also examine some of the relationships among
physical properties, chemical composition, crystal structure and geologic occurrence.
Evaluation:
Exams 1-4
Problem Sets & Field Trip
Labs & Quizzes
Lab Final
60%
10%
20%
10%
Note: It is very important that you complete the assigned readings and all assignments on time.
Warning: Getting behind in Mineralogy is detrimental to your physical and mental well-being. In order
to help avoid this terminal disease--late work will not be accepted in this course!!
Required Field Trip: To the Adirondack Mts. of New York. Lv. 6:00 p.m. Fri., Sept. 19, return late
Sun Night, Sept 21. Most expenses paid. Come prepared for foul weather.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Week of September 22:
October 11-14:
Week of October 20:
November 4:
November 14:
November 22 - November 30:
December 15-19
Exam I
Fall VACATION
Exam II
The Big Bopper
Exam III
Thanksgiving VACATION
Exam period--Exam IV
Geology 30 Mineralogy
Syllabus
Date Class #
2-Sep 1
3-Sep 2
5-Sep 3
SUBJECT
8-Sep
9-Sep
10-Sep
12-Sep
4
5
6
7
Combinations of Symmetry Operations and Point Groups
Lattice Types and Space Groups
Symmetry in Crystals: the 32 Crystal Classes
continued
229-232
232-241
241-245
15-Sep
16-Sep
17-Sep
19-Sep
8
9
10
11
Bravais Lattices and Space Groups
The Coordinate System and Miller Indices
Review
PART III. INTRO TO OPTICAL MINERALOGY
245-249
282-292
22-Sep
23-Sep
24-Sep
26-Sep
12
13
14
15
EXAM 1 CLASSES 1-11
Isotropic Substances: Reflection, Refraction, Dispersion, Color
Optical Examination of Isotropic Substances
Oblique Illumination, Dispersion
The Indicatrix
29-Sep
30-Sep
1-Oct
3-Oct
16
17
18
19
Interference and Phase Relationships
Interference Colors and Accessory Plates
Uniaxial Interference Figures
The Biaxial Indicatrix
418-428
442-446
446-448
454=455
6-Oct
7-Oct
8-Oct
10-Oct
20
21
22
23
Biaxial Interference Figures I
Biaxial Interference Figures II
Optical Examination of Biaxial Minerals
continued
448-454
455-459
459-466
466-480
13-Oct
14-Oct
15-Oct 24
17-Oct 25
NO CLASS: MID SEMESTER BREAK
NO CLASS: MID SEMESTER BREAK
Optical Examination of Biaxial Minerals Continued
Minerals in Thin Section
515-525
20-Oct
21-Oct
22-Oct
24-Oct
EXAM 2 CLASSES 12-25
PART II. CRYSTAL CHEMISTRY: Atoms, Ions and Bonding
continued
Radius Ratios and Coordination Polyhedrons
Model Crystal Structures
Ch 3, 122-132
Ch 7
149-168
552-572
26
27
28
29
Reading: DYAR et al.
INTRODUCTION TO MINERALOGY
Ch. 1
PART I. CRYSTALLOGRAPHY: Patterns and Translation
Ch 4
Repetitive Operators: Rotation and Mirror
226-229
Ch 5,401-407
407-413
482-494
413-418
Geology 30 Mineralogy Syllabus - Continued
Date Class # SUBJECT
27-Oct 30 continued
28-Oct 31 Silicate crystal structures
29-Oct 32 Mineral Compositionsand solid solution
31-Oct 33 Mineral formulas
Reading: DYAR et al.
3-Nov
4-Nov
5-Nov
7-Nov
34
35
36
37
Mineral formulas-continued
Hand sample mineral quiz-all minerals: THE BIG BOPPER
Graphical Representation of Mineral Compositions
Graphical Representation of Mineral Compositions- cont.
10-Nov
11-Nov
12-Nov
14-Nov
38
39
40
41
Mineral stability
PART IV. SYSTEMATIC MINERALOGY
Introduction to the Silicates
EXAM 3 CLASSES 30-40
17-Nov
18-Nov
19-Nov
21-Nov
42
43
44
45
SiO2 Polymorphs
Feldspars
Feldspars-2
Feldspars-3
103-117
141-144
197-209, Ch9, Ch 10
209-223
535-538
175-180
578-582
583-503
THANKSGIVING VACATION SATURDAY, NOV. 22 - SUNDAY, NOV. 30
1-Dec
2-Dec
3-Dec
5-Dec
8-Dec
9-Dec
10-Dec
FINALS
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
Sheet Silicates
Sheet Silicates -2
Pyroxenes
Pyroxenes-2
Amphiboles
Pyriboles
Other Silicates
EXAM IV: ALL MATERIAL CLASSES 30-52
593-606
612-621
606-612
621-636
GEOLOGY 30: MINERALOGY LABORATORY SCHEDULE
Date Lab #
2-Sep
9-Sep
16-Sep
23-Sep
30-Sep
7-Oct
14-Oct
21-Oct
28-Oct
4-Nov
11-Nov
18-Nov
25-Nov
2-Dec
9-Dec
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
SUBJECT
I: Native Elements, Sulfides
A: Symmetry in patterns
A: Symmetry in Crystals and Minerals.
A: Opt. Min.: Isotropic substances.
A: Optical Techniques I
A: Optical Techniques II
NO LAB: FALL BREAK
A: Minerals in Thin Section
A: Minerals in Thin Section -continued
LAB QUIZ- All Minerals-hand samples
Scanning electron microscope
Scanning electron microscope cont.
NO LAB: THANKSGIVING BREAK
Review
LAB EXAM: Optical Mineralogy
Reading DYAR et al.
DVD as appropriate
Ch 2
B: Oxides, Hydroxides
B: Carbonates
B: Mineral Quiz
B: Silicates
B: Silicates continued
B: Minerals in hand sample: rocks
B. Silicates quiz
“THE BIG BOPPER”
B. Minerals in Thin Section -cont
B. Minerals in Thin Section -cont